Nicholson Awarded Drilled Shaft Contract at Soo Locks

Nicholson Construction’s Midwest team was recently awarded the drilled shaft portion of the work for the New Lock at the Soo.

The Phase 3 New Lock is the largest portion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) seven-year, $1.3 billion-dollar project focused on construction of a new lock chamber at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.

The Soo Locks lie on the St. Marys River and permit vessels to cross the 21-foot change in elevation along the St. Marys Falls Canal and connects shipping between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Currently, almost 90% of the commodities transported through the Soo Locks a rerestricted to using the 1,200′ x 110′ Poe Lock.

This project will construct a second Poe-sized lock in place of the existing decommissioned Sabin Lock. The Kokosing Alberici Traylor (KAT) joint venture selected Nicholson Construction Company to complete the New Power Plant (NPP) Access Bridge drilled shafts for the project. Nicholson’s scope of work consists of the drilling work required forinstalling twenty drilled shafts south of the existing power plant and north of the Sabin Lock.

Nicholson will be working closely onthis project with sister company Soletanche Bachy Canada, who brings extensive expertise in drilled shafts in a marine environment.

In addition to the drilled shafts, Nicholson is also working on a contract to install a grout curtain under aseparate contract.

“This additional contract for the New Lock at the Soo really helps to illustrate the many tools and techniques wehave to support our clients,” said Dan Thome, P.E., Senior Vice President of Nicholson’s Midwest Region. “We’re really proud to bring our expertise to this very important project for our home state.”
This portion of Nicholson’s work is scheduled to be completed between May and December 2023.