Building the largest lock on the Great Lakes to support the global supply chain
Market
Civil & Marine
Heavy Industrial
Key Services
Construction
Preconstruction
Self-Perform
Steel Fabrication
Strategic Partnerships
Virtual Design & Construction
Delivery Method
General Contracting (GC)Capacity
1,200′ x 110′ lock chamberThe challenge
Located on the U.S.–Canada border between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, the Soo Locks Complex accommodates more than 4,500 vessels each year carrying 80 million tons of commercial commodities, including nearly all domestically produced advanced high-strength steel used in automobiles and appliances. With only one existing lock capable of handling the largest lake freighters, any prolonged outage would threaten U.S. manufacturing. To eliminate this risk, a new lock is being built to replace two smaller locks.
Phase 3, the final and largest phase of the project, is being delivered by Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC (KAT) and involves constructing a new 1,200 foot long by 110 foot wide lock chamber on the site of the decommissioned Sabin Lock. The scope includes underwater bedrock excavation, demolition of the Sabin Lock, infilling of the Davis Lock, construction of a new pump well, rehabilitation of downstream approach walls, installation of upstream and downstream cofferdams made from 90 foot diameter steel sheet pile cells, and placement of a 2,000 linear foot grout curtain.
The work also requires dewatering operations, construction of 21 monoliths on each lock wall built in five foot concrete lifts, installation of a hands-free mooring system, stabilization of existing concrete monoliths, construction of a vehicular bridge, and blasting and excavation of a utility shaft.
Key Facts
Construction of new 1,200 foot by 110 foot lock chamber with 42 monoliths
Installation of 90 foot diameter cofferdams and 2,000 linear foot grout curtain
350,000 CY of concrete, enough for a 5 foot wide sidewalk from Sault Ste. Marie to Florida
Challenge met
The KAT team is sequencing demolition, excavation, and construction activities to maintain navigation while building in a confined, historic, and highly active marine environment. Cofferdam and dewatering operations are creating dry conditions for lock chamber construction, while precision placement of concrete lifts is ensuring structural integrity and alignment of the lock wall monoliths.
The team is self-performing fabrication and installation of massive upstream and downstream miter gates, each weighing more than 200 tons. Mechanical, electrical, and mooring systems are being integrated into the chamber to meet modern operational standards, and a new vehicular bridge is being built to link the lock to a mid-river hydropower plant.
Through close collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, innovative marine logistics, and rigorous safety and quality programs, the project remains on track for its scheduled 2030 completion, ensuring that one of the most important infrastructure projects in the United States will be delivered to support the nation’s economy for decades to come.
Recent Projects
Upstream Approach Walls at the Soo Locks Complex
Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility Far Site Facilities Excavation
