St. Louis, MO - Aug. 1, 2019 - Businesses that transport or handle commodities on the Illinois Waterway system are about the feel the first impact of the scheduled closure of locks on that inland waterway system.
From Sept. 21 – Oct. 5, 2019, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has planned the full closure of two lock and dams in Illinois -- the Starved Rock Lock & Dam in Ottawa, and the Marseilles Lock and Dam in Marseilles.
Closures of 90 to 120 days are expected for multiple locks in the summers of 2020 and 2023.
While shippers have been encouraged to either find alternate routes for the millions of tons of commodities that typically move along the Illinois River during these time periods, or to concentrate on shipping outside of the closure windows, this initial closure will provide the first insight into what alternatives are being pursuing and whether the Mississippi River, which flows through the St. Louis metropolitan region, is one of them.
Regional freight leaders anticipate the St. Louis region could see an increase of commodities rerouted through its world-class freight network, which is home to the nation’s most efficient inland waterway port and provides minimal rail congestion and quick truck-turns.
Six of the eight locks on the Illinois Waterway system are scheduled to undergo major infrastructure repairs, in order to sustain a navigable connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, just north of St. Louis, Missouri.
Through cooperation with the navigation industry and Illinois Waterway system stakeholders, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District has developed plans for the simultaneous closure of multiple locks that will provide time for much needed critical repairs and maintenance, while reducing impacts to navigation.
Impacts can further be reduced if barge lines, shippers and business owners along the waterway leverage the key learnings from the limited closures starting this September and make advance plans for the longer closures coming.
Nearly 30 million tons of commodities a year move through the southernmost and busiest lock on the Illinois River - the LaGrange Lock and Dam in Versailles, Illinois.
That is the federal facility in most urgent need for major rehabilitation and repair, as well as the primary driver for the whole coordinated closure that prompted the improvements over all six locks that will be closed for 90 to 120 days between July 2020 and October 2020.
During the scheduled closures, no vessels will be able to pass through the affected locks. An exception to this restriction could occur at the LaGrange and Peoria Locks if water levels become high enough that the wicket portions of the dams could be lowered for open-pass.
This would allow vessels to pass over the wicket dam without using the lock.
“While the bulk of the work will not get underway until summer 2020, it’s vital that industry members are aware of the plans, the timing and any steps they need to take in advance of the closures to help minimize the disruption to their operations or, to potentially be a part of the solution,” said Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President of Multi Modal Enterprises at Bi-State Development, which is working to raise awareness about the lock closures through its St. Louis Regional Freightway enterprise.
“Shippers already route freight to the St. Louis region where the exceptional freight network means they benefit from lower distribution and logistics expenses and shorter travel times.
"We should have the capacity to take on more and be a part of the solution for those who will be impacted, if the planning starts early.”
Mike Toohey, President and CEO of Waterways Council, Inc., said what actually will happen to commodity movements during the closure is the great unknown.
“Plan, be flexible and be ready,” Toohey said.
For more information, please contact Patti Beck at 314-982-1524.