The U.S. government is providing $1.35 million to study the viability of a new addition to the shipping locks at Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
Advocates have long argued for the need for a new lock to handle the volume of traffic that travels through the system.
The locks are currently comprised of the Poe Lock, which measures 1,200 feet long and can accommodate large lake freighters, and the MacArthur Lock, which measures 800 feet long and is used primarily by smaller vessels and pleasure craft.
The concern is that, should the Poe Lock be damaged or otherwise be put out of commission, shipments could be delayed, resulting in a huge loss to the economy.
A preview of that scenario played out this past August when a malfunction closed the MacArthur Lock for 20 days, causing an estimated $250,000 loss to U.S. ship operators.
The feasibility study is expected to take two years to complete.
