April 25, 2025

Lock and dam work near completion

By Tom Doran

Work continues at the Starved Rock Lock and Dam near Utica, Illinois, in early September. The renovation includes installation of new upper and lower miter gates. Construction on this and four other lock and dam systems along the Illinois River are on track to be finished Oct. 29 when the river will be fully reopened to commercial and recreational traffic. (AgriNews photo)

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Illinois River is scheduled to reopen to commercial traffic on Oct. 29 after a four-month closure for lock and dam renovations.

Five of the eight lock and dam systems along the Illinois River’s 268 miles were either fully or partially closed since early July, limiting commercial and recreational navigation to within pools.

Repairs being made during the closures include replacement of new miter gates, miter gate machinery and anchorages; installation of new bubbler systems, gate sills and bulkhead recesses; and concrete repair and replacement on the 90-year-old locks.

“The construction at the five locks on the Illinois Waterway is proceeding on schedule,” said Allen Marshall, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers corporate communications chief.

“Barring any extenuating circumstances related to things like weather, we are on track to complete and reopen the locks as per the schedule that is currently published to our website. We update the website weekly and immediately if anything significant impacts the schedule.”

Here is the construction schedule and project summary as it stands on Sept. 18:

• LaGrange Lock and Dam — major rehabilitation and lock machinery replacement; full closure July 1-Oct. 13 (closure end date changed from Sept. 30 to Oct. 13).

• Peoria Lock and Dam — dewatering for maintenance and inspection; full closure July 6-Sept. 30.

• Starved Rock Lock and Dam — upper and lower miter gate installation; full closure July 1-Oct. 29.

• Marseilles Lock and Dam — upper miter gate installation; full closure July 6-Oct. 29.

• Dresden Island Lock and Dam — upper bulkhead recess installation; partial closure July 6-Oct. 3 and Oct. 25-28; locks operational from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. with a 70-foot width restriction and no ability to pull unpowered barges; full closure Oct. 4-24.

Commodity Movement

The Illinois River system efficiently connects the supply of corn, soybeans, ethanol, coal, petroleum and other goods with domestic and international markets.

There are about 30 million tons of commodities annually that move through the LaGrange Lock and Dam.

One tow on the river typically includes 15 barges, moving, for example, 26,000 tons of fertilizer. That equates to 216 rail cars or 1,050 trucks that would be needed to move 26,000 tons of fertilizer.

The construction project resumes in 2023 with summer closures of the Dresden Island Lock and Dam (upper miter gate installation and electrical rehab); the Marseilles Lock and Dam (electrical rehab); and Starved Rock Lock and Dam (sector gear rehab). There also is work scheduled in 2023 at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam.