SAULT STE. MARIE — The Soo Locks will close to all marine traffic from noon (or until commercial traffic ceases), Jan. 15, through midnight, March 25, for seasonal critical maintenance.
“Every year, the Corps of Engineers uses the non-navigation winter period to perform maintenance and keep the Soo Locks operating,” said Maintenance Branch Chief Nicholas Pettit.
The team will install a temporary panel bridge across the Poe Lock to mobilize materials and equipment to job sites throughout the winter closure. Maintenance crews will also fabricate and replace anchorages on gate 3, flush and clean the hydraulic systems, replace pier fender timbers, perform maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems on both the Poe and MacArthur Locks, and more.
Kokosing Industrial Inc. of Cheboygan, awarded the contract to build a new lock and repair the Poe Lock, will perform a full rehabilitation and repair of the upstream stop log recesses including removal of unsound concrete, repairs, installation of new concrete, steel corner protection and steel wall armor section.
Opened in 1969, the Poe Lock is 1,200 feet long. The MacArthur Lock, opened in 1943, is 800 feet long.