Chickamauga Lock expected to receive major replacement (video)
View SourceCHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Members of the media received a glimpse of the upcoming replacement for the Chickamauga Lock on Monday.
“By bringing folks out here today, we are raising greater awareness, showing the folks the incredible work that is being done by both the Corps of Engineers, the Tennessee Valley Authority and then our contractors, who are actually getting out there and completing the Chickamauga lock replacement project,” said Joseph Cotton, Project manager for Chickamauga Lock replacement.
The Chickamauga Lock was founded in 1940.
The Lock is used as a waterway for transportation and a multipurpose projects.
Cotton believes now is the time for the Lock to be updated.
“The Chickamauga lock is in the top four nationally as far as projects for the Corps of Engineer related to inland navigation, this project’s been going on for a long time,” said Cotton. ” It was first authorized in 2003 and and real work starting in early 2010.”
The replacement project will consist of a new lock downstream of the dam.
This is due to the gradual cracks throughout the existing lock.
Cotton explains how the Chickamauga lock replacement is economically beneficial.
“Soon there will be no additional commerce crawling through the lock, the assumption was about a million tons a year,” said Cotton. “Last year, we hit 1.3 million, and we are well on our way to a million and a half this year, and that is with the old lock still operational, with some constraints due to the active construction site that we have on here.”
As the Chickamauga Lock is replaced, it will provide more efficient transportation.
Cotton says he’s excited for what the Chickamauga Lock replacement will bring to Chattanooga.
“The Chickamauga lock has been on folks radar for a long time. The Tennessee Valley Authority has done great work in keeping the dam stable, working in tandem with us to keep the lock operational. So we are really excited to have this last bit of funding to award our final contract,” Cotton concluded.
The Chickamauga Lock replacement is expected to become operational by 2027 and completed by 2029.
