1.
Feasibility
Study
2.
Chief's
Report
3.
Construction
Authorization
(WRDA)
4.
Construction
Appropriation
5.
Construction
Completion
| 32 feet | Proposed Depth |
| $922,432,000 | Federal |
| $0 | Non-Federal |
| $922,432,000 | Total |
| $125,333,000 | 2020 |
| $32,388,000 | 2019 |
| $57,580,000 | 2018 |
| $215,301,000 | Total = 23% |
| Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) |
| Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) |
| Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI-01) |
The Soo Locks complex is the lynch pin of the Great Lakes Navigation System and is considered to be nationally critical infrastructure due to their national economic importance and impact on national security. Ten out of eleven integrated steel mills in the Great Lakes region depend on iron ore and other materials that must transit the Soo Locks. The Soo Locks complex consists of 4 locks, however the Poe lock is the only one capable of handling the largest commercial vessels known as ‘1000-footers’. The Poe lock was constructed in 1968 and undergoes substantial maintenance to function reliably. A second Poe sized lock has been pursued for decades as an extended lock closure would have devastating impacts on the U.S. steel, automobile and other industries. The additional Poe-sized lock would replace two existing small locks at the complex.
The project is estimated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to have annual net benefits of $44.7 million with a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.42 based on a June 2018 economic validation report.
