$1.35 Million Granted to Study Soo Locks

The U.S. government has approved funds to improve the Soo Locks. Nearly $1.4 million will be provided to the Army Corps of Engineers to study the waterway’s aging infrastructure, following a successful campaign led by Michigan lawmakers. Congressman Dan Benishek says a single-point of failure could hurt the national and local economies.

“The vast majority of raw materials necessary to fuel the automotive industry, steel production in this country comes through the Soo Locks. It would also cut off power to the city of Detroit. This needs to be much higher priority for the Corp of Engineers and this study is the next step in making that happen.”

Congressman Dan Benishek, Michigan’s 1st Congressional District

Benishek says a new lock is necessary in Sault Ste. Marie to keep ships moving in the Great Lakes. He says the upgrade will cost $580 million and take 10 years to complete.