SAULT STE. MARIE, MI— The Army Corps of Engineers is getting $479 million to modernize the Soo Locks.
The money coming through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will fully fund the Corps budget to finish building a new lock. The modern structure will handle larger vessels and prevent failure of the locks—which would severely impact the economy and national security.
The funding could speed up the project timeline by two years.
The Soo Locks Modernization Act was signed into law in 2018. It authorized Congress to provide the necessary funding to build another Poe-sized lock. Congress appropriated $125 million in FY2020 and $170 million in FY2021 toward completion of the project.
The total cost of the project is $1.3 billion.
