This article is taken from the October 5, 2023 USDA Grain Transportation Report.
After closing on June 1 for upgrades and repairs, the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, the Dresden Island Lock and Dam, and the Marseilles Lock and Dam on the Illinois River are now open.
On the evening of September 30, Brandon Road Lock and Dam and the Marseilles Lock and Dam began locking vessels.
On October 1, the Dresden Island Lock and Dam began locking vessels. Because tow haulage units at Dresden Island may not yet be operational, helper boats will be required to pull vessels through the locks until further notice.
According to Waterways Journal, even after the locks’ reopening, vessels may be intermittently delayed at the locks as adjustments are made to previous upgrades and repair work.
According to the project manager for the Rock Island Engineer District, no long-term consolidated closures (like the ones that just ended) are scheduled for the foreseeable future.