Upton: New Soo Lock A High Priority

upton-24
upton-24

Congressman Fred Upton is pleased the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has set aside more than $32 million to start work on a new Soo Lock. The Soo Locks in the St. Marys River allow for shipping between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. Upton tells WSJM News the money announced this week gets things rolling.

“It’s the first start,” Upton said. “Let’s face it, to build a new lock with today’s standards, you’re going to have to spend, as we know, close to $1 billion, but there’s probably not a more important infrastructure project in the nation than this one.”

Right now, only the Poe Lock is able to accommodate large freighters. Upton says that leaves Great Lakes shipping vulnerable.

“If for some reason that one lock, the Poe Lock, somehow went down for whatever reason, we would be in a mess of trouble,” Upton said. “In fact, some estimates are that it would double the unemployment numbers for the nation just about overnight.”

Upton tells us Michigan’s congressional delegation has pushed for a new Soo Lock, and the U.S. Army Corps budgeting of $32 million for the lock’s design and to begin upstream channel deepening a good news for the entire nation.