The new Soo Lock on the St. Marys River in Michigan, which connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron, is moving ahead with phases 2 and 3 of construction, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District said in a release.
The project now costs $3.22 billion — more than three times its initial price tag — due to labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and material cost increases over the past four years, according to the agency.
The Soo Locks are essential to U.S. manufacturing and national security. According to USACE, 88% of domestically produced high-strength steel — used to manufacture products like cars and appliances — is made with iron ore that can only move through the Poe Lock because shipping vessels cannot fit through the others.
