A locks and dam project 30 years in the making on the Ohio River is in the final phase of completion and ahead of schedule. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Olmsted Locks and Dam division chief Mike Braden says completion is projected for Oct. 1, 2018 -- four years ahead of an earlier assessment. Braden says the completion of the Olmsted project will have a national impact.
“Right there where Olmsted is being constructed is the busiest in terms of commodities in the entire country so we call it the hub of the Inland Waterway transportation system,” he said.
Braden says the project will produce a net average of more than $640 million in economic benefits annually. He says 75 million to 100 million tons move through Locks 52 and 53 a year depending on growing seasons prior to construction.
