New Soo Lock

WHAT WE DID

Supporting construction of a much-needed new passageway for the busiest lock system in the world.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Built in 1855 and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks passes an average of 10,000 ships per year carrying up to 90 million tons of cargo. The Locks enable ships to bypass rapids on the St Marys River and pass between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, a 21 foot elevation change.

A new lock, scheduled for completion in 2030, will be equal in size to the Soo’s busy Poe Lock and will provide additional capacity for lake freighters. Degenkolb’s engineers, working on Phases 2 and 3 of the massive project, are supporting Kokosing Alberici Traylor Brothers – Joint Venture, with a variety of construction engineering services.

Degenkolb’s Phase 2 work included cofferdam and soldier pile templates, a sheet pile waler system, and the design of other temporary structures that assist the contractor in rehabilitating the upstream approach walls. Degenkolb’s Phase 3 work includes temporary barge landing design, stair design, lift planning, temporary bridge design, as well as equipment staging and stability analysis. This third and final project phase includes construction of the new lock chamber and rehabilitation of the downstream approach walls.

Chad Fox, PE, SE, proudly says that his Phase 3 team worked on “a little bit of everything” for this project!