It’s taken awhile, indeed, a very long while, but we’re pleased to report work at the Soo Locks is proceeding apace.

According to a story on our front page today, phase one in the creation of a brand new Soo Lock is nearly done, according to oversight agency, the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

“We are waiting on final survey results and anticipate they will show the deepened areas as complete, really only have some punch-list type items, grounds keeping and site cleanup remaining,” said project Supervisory Civil Engineer Rachel Miller.

The old saying that nothing happens very quickly in government certainly apples work on this new lock.

The project to build it was first authorized in 1986. Back then, Bob Davis was representing the region in the U.S. House of Representatives, Ronald Reagan was president and Jim Blanchard was Michigan’s governor.

Plans were reworked and reauthorized on several occasions with actual work starting in May 2020. Look for completion sometime after 2024.

The Soo Locks are critical to our economy and to our national defense. Everyone agrees with that.

We’re pleased to see that rhetoric finally turning into actual effort at the site.

— The Mining Journal, Marquette