The new $3.2 billion lock on the Soo is taking shape in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The US Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District recently awarded a $222.7 million contract option to the project’s final phase contractor, Kokosing Alberici Traylor LLC.
The project is replacing the existing Sabin and Davis Locks with a larger lock to accommodate modern 1,000-foot “laker” cargo ships as they traverse the 21-foot elevation change in the St. River. Marys between Michigan and Ontario to travel between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes. The new lock would have a chamber 1,200 feet long, 110 feet wide and 32 feet deep.
One of Soo’s locks, Poe’s lock, already has the same dimensions as the future lock. But with only one lock capable of accommodating larger modern lakers, more than 88% of the freight tonnage passing through the locks must pass through the Poe. Having the second large lock will allow the Corps to carry out the necessary rehabilitation work at the Poe lock. Congress authorized funding for the project at its current cost in 2022.
“The leadership team throughout the Corps of Engineers has made the New Lock at the Soo project a national priority, and we’ve continued to see strong support every step of the way,” said Kevin McDaniels, the district’s top civilian, in a statement
The newly awarded contract option includes construction of the lock floor, installation of mechanical and electrical systems, completion of a fill and drain system, placement of soil between the new lock and the ‘old Davis lock and the commissioning of the new lock chamber, according to Darin. Blanc, technical manager of the project of the Internal Navigation Design Center of the Corps.
Kokosing Alberici Traylor, a joint venture of Kokosing Industrial based in Westerville, Ohio, Alberici Constructors based in St. Louis and Traylor Bros., based in Evansville, Ind., began work on the $1.1 billion Phase 3 contract in 2022. Engineer officials structured the contract with $794.5 million in options of contract that would be awarded as funding becomes available. All options are required to complete the lock operation.
Three options worth $95.3 million remain to be awarded, and corps officials said they expect that to happen next year.
The works are scheduled to end in 2030, according to the Corps.
Mollie Mahoney, the Corps’ senior project manager, said in a statement that Kokosing Alberici Traylor had completed more than $400 million in work through the end of July. Crews are currently demolishing existing concrete monoliths and beginning excavation of bedrock in the Sabin Lock footprint, preparing to fill Davis Lock with excavated material and build a bridge to a power plant hydroelectric at the locks.
The Corps also expects the contractor to work on the pump pit substructure and new concrete monolith this year.
Phase 1 was completed in 2022 and Phase 2 is nearing completion. A joint venture of Kokosing and Alberici won the Phase 2 contract, and company representatives previously told ENR that participating in simultaneous phases helped them find efficiencies and apply lessons learned in one phase to the next.
