Corps of Engineers to close T.J. O’Brien Lock for critical maintenance

Published Sept. 24, 2014
Sector Gate rehabilitation work at T. J. O'Brien Lock and Dam

Sector Gate rehabilitation work at T. J. O'Brien Lock and Dam

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, announces navigation closures at the T.J. O’Brien Lock beginning November 3 in order to dewater the gate bays and perform critical maintenance to the infrastructure.

Two closures are scheduled, each lasting 47 days. The first closure, which begins Nov. 3, will run through Dec. 19, 2014. The lock will then reopen until the second closure scheduled for Jan. 19 through March 6, 2015.

T.J. O’Brien Lock and Dam is one of eight lock and dam systems on the Illinois Waterway managed by the Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Located near the entrance to Lake Michigan in Chicago, T.J. O’Brien Lock and Dam has been in operation since 1960. Decades of operation create maintenance challenges which must be addressed. The dewatering and subsequent closure of the lock will enable the Rock Island District to inspect the infrastructure which hasn’t been accomplished in nearly 35 years.

Navigation announcements have been advertised to ensure frequent users of the lock are aware of the pending closures. For more information about the project and the dewatering, contact Mike Zerbonia, Operations Manager IWW Project, at (309) 676-4601 ext 4104.


Contact
Michael Zerbonia
(309) 676-4601
michael.p.zerbonia@usace.army.mil

Release no. 14-061