Nicholson's Midwest Team Continues Work at Soo Locks with Hybrid Wall and Anchor Installation Contracts
Nicholson Construction’s Midwest team was recently awarded two additional contracts for the New Lock at the Soo. One contract is for the construction of a hybrid wall and the other is for anchor installation.
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 are restricted 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. One of the first steps required for construction of the new lock is creating water cutoff around the future excavation to allow efficient dewatering throughout construction.
The Kokosing Alberici Traylor (KAT) joint venture selected Nicholson Construction Company to assist in construction of the Unit 10 Hybrid Wall, a component of the cutoff system, which will tie together existing coffer cells with new cells being constructed for the project. Nicholson drilled in temporary casings to allow installation of the permanent pipe piles for the wall.
The KAT JV also awarded Nicholson the contract for permanent anchor installation which is required to stabilize the existing Davis Lock concrete monoliths in the dewatered state.
In addition to the hybrid wall and anchor installation contracts, Nicholson is also installing drilled shafts and a grout curtain under separate contracts.
“Our work continues to grow at the New Lock at the Soo project because we have such a great team on site,” said Dan Thome, P.E., Senior Vice President of Nicholson’s Midwest Region. “Our site crews doing what they do every day are our best salespeople.”
This portion of Nicholson’s work is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Nicholson Construction’s Midwest team was recently awarded two additional contracts for the New Lock at the Soo. One contract is for the construction of a hybrid wall and the other is for anchor installation.
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 are restricted 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. One of the first steps required for construction of the new lock is creating water cutoff around the future excavation to allow efficient dewatering throughout construction.
The Kokosing Alberici Traylor (KAT) joint venture selected Nicholson Construction Company to assist in construction of the Unit 10 Hybrid Wall, a component of the cutoff system, which will tie together existing coffer cells with new cells being constructed for the project. Nicholson drilled in temporary casings to allow installation of the permanent pipe piles for the wall.
The KAT JV also awarded Nicholson the contract for permanent anchor installation which is required to stabilize the existing Davis Lock concrete monoliths in the dewatered state.
In addition to the hybrid wall and anchor installation contracts, Nicholson is also installing drilled shafts and a grout curtain under separate contracts.
“Our work continues to grow at the New Lock at the Soo project because we have such a great team on site,” said Dan Thome, P.E., Senior Vice President of Nicholson’s Midwest Region. “Our site crews doing what they do every day are our best salespeople.”
This portion of Nicholson’s work is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.
About Nicholson Construction Company
Nicholson has been both a leader and an innovator in the geotechnical construction industry for more than 60 years. With regional offices across the country and headquarters located in Pittsburgh, Nicholson is a nationally renowned specialty contractor, offering proven expertise in the design and installation of deep foundation elements, earth retention systems and ground treatment solutions. We pride ourselves on our ability to consistently provide our clients with innovative, high-quality design-build options for projects of varying size and complexity. Nicholson is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy, one of the world’s leading geotechnical contractors, and is part of a global network of unparalleled geotechnical resources and expertise.
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