SAULT STE. MARIE, Michigan – The US Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District and New Lock at Soo Contractor Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC (KAT) will host an in-person and virtual public meeting at 6:00 p.m., November 21, 2024, to inform the public of the activities of test blasting necessary for the construction of the project.

The Corps of Engineers contracted KAT to complete phase 3 construction of the new lock at the Soo project. This work includes bedrock excavation scheduled for this year and 2025.

“The project team will conduct test blasting to fracture the existing bedrock to be excavated and removed,” said Rachel Miller, New Lock at the Soo Contracting Officer representative. “All blasting will be completed within the Corps of Engineers Soo Locks facility at the existing Sabin Lock decommissioned area.”

Blasting test activities will begin in December on a semi-regular basis as weather permits. The contractor is permitted to blast Monday through Sunday during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset). The Corps of Engineers and KAT do not anticipate blasting being conducted on any Sundays at this time.

“For 2024-2025 blasting activities, the Corps of Engineers does not anticipate impacts to public roads or land areas outside of the Soo Locks facility,” said Mick Awbrey, New Lock Chief. “However, each explosion will be assessed to ensure public safety. During the blast, guards will be posted at all access points to ensure that no person is allowed within 300 feet of the blast radius.”

Maritime traffic on the river St. Marys will not be allowed within 1,000 feet (Figure 1: shown in blue) at the time of any blast detonation for recreational boaters, anglers, swimmers and the general public on the water. Red-flagged vessels carrying bulk fuel or other hazardous materials will not be allowed within 2,000 feet (Figure 1: shown in red) during blasts. All exclusion zones are coordinated with the Soo Locks Lockmaster as well as the US Coast Guard.

Before the explosion, an air horn will sound five long times, indicating that the explosion will take place in five minutes. One minute before an explosion, an air horn will sound five short times, and then the explosion will be detonated. After detonation, the master blaster will confirm the completion of the blast and give an “all clear” consisting of a long blast from a horn or siren. The figure below shows the blast location and areas of marine vessels affected for the 2024-2025 works.

“The New Lock at the Soo construction contract includes measures to monitor and control vibrations due to blasting,” said Detroit District Biologist Hal Harrington. “All blasting will take place in the dewatered areas of the dam. Vibration monitoring locations and maximum particle vibration (PPV) limitations for the contract were limited to account for these breeding areas. The Contractor shall design and control all blasts to achieve a maximum PPV of 1.0 inches per second at both spawning locations. This limitation is specifically in place to prevent adverse effects on fish.”

The goal of construction of the New Lock at the Soo is to minimize or eliminate negative impacts on the community and other affected parties. Safety measures adopted for the evacuation of marine vessels from affected areas will be applied immediately before and during explosions. Additionally, there will be no permanent storage of explosives or overnight storage of explosives on site at the Soo Locks facility. The safety of all waterway access is a priority.

The public meeting will be held in the Upper Room of Lake Superior State University’s Cisler Center, located at 650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The public meeting is scheduled from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (EST) on Tuesday, November 21, 2024. Those who prefer to attend virtually can join the meeting at: NewLockattheSooTeams. A slide show will be briefed by the Corps of Engineers and KAT’s blasting specialist, blasting consultant and vibration specialist. Presentation slides will be available after the public meeting at:

After the presentation, the audience will have an opportunity to ask general questions about blasting operations, the magnitude of seismic motion, blast overpressure, and the potential for flyrock debris.

The current construction schedule only includes blasting in 2024-2025. If additional blasting is required, the Corps of Engineers will provide additional notice approximately 30 days in advance.

Contact Public Affairs Specialist Carrie Fox at 906-259-2841 or [email protected] with any questions.