U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Detroit District's New Lock at the Soo project in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., awarded $95.3 million for remaining Phase 3 options to Kokosing Alberici Traylor LLC (KAT) of Westerville, Ohio.
The remaining Phase 3 options include Option 4: Downstream Work ($44.9 million), Option 5: Hands Free Mooring ($24.2 million), and Option 6: Downstream Ship Arrestors ($26.2 million).
Negotiated pricing on the remaining Phase 3 options was set to expire in September 2025.
"With an early award of the remaining Phase 3 options, the project continues to be on track for completion in 2030," said Kevin McDaniels, Detroit District's senior civilian.
The New Lock at the Soo project is being built in three phases. Phase 1 (Upstream Channel Deepening) was completed in 2022 and Phase 2 (Upstream Approach Walls) was completed in 2024. The Phase 3 contract was awarded to KAT in July 2022 with a base contract at $1.068 billion. Awarding the base contract allowed the contractor to begin work in 2022 with the remaining work (contract options) to be awarded over the next three years.
"The leadership team throughout the Corps of Engineers have made the New Lock at the Soo project a national priority and we have continued to see strong support every step along the way," said McDaniels.
Construction of Phase 3 began in late 2022 and, given continued efficient funding, is expected to last seven years. The New Lock at the Soo will be constructed in the footprint of the Sabin Lock and will be the same size as the Poe Lock (1,200 ft. long, 110 ft. wide and 32 ft. deep).
"The contractor has completed nearly $600 million worth of work through the end of May 2025," said Mollie Mahoney, New Lock at the Soo senior project manager. "With the ongoing new concrete monoliths construction, the new lock walls are beginning to take shape on the downstream end of the project site. Demolition of the existing Sabin Lock concrete continues, and bedrock excavation in the footprint of the new lock chamber is steadily progressing. In the Davis Lock, the New Pump Well walls are being constructed and the remainder of the chamber continues to be filled with excavated material."
The focus of construction over the next year will continue to be concrete monolith placement as well as Sabin Lock demolition and bedrock excavation.
The Soo Locks allow vessels to transit the 21-ft. elevation change at the St. Marys Falls Canal. More than 88 percent of commodity tonnage through the Soo Locks is restricted by vessel size to the Poe Lock. The New Lock at the Soo project will construct a second Poe-sized lock.
The Soo Locks are essential to United States manufacturing and national security. The project will provide resiliency for this critical node in the Great Lakes Navigation System. A 2015 Department of Homeland Security study estimates a six-month Poe Lock closure would temporarily reduce the United States gross domestic product (GDP) by $1.1 trillion, resulting in the loss of 11 million jobs.
For more information, visit lrd.usace.army.mil/Mission/Projects/Article/3833546/new-lock-at-the-soo/.
