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In a significant shift after 50 years, more than a $40 million rehabilitation effort is now focused on protecting both property and the people who rely on it at the locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi River.
Project work started at Lock and Dam 5 in Minnesota City, Minnesota, in March, marking a significant step in the rehabilitation efforts. Now, attention is also on Lock and Dam 5A in Fountain City, Wisconsin, where similar initiatives are set to begin. Both sites will undergo comparable rehabilitation work over the course of the next four construction seasons.
“By prioritizing safety and sustainability, the rehabilitation work not only seeks to mend the physical structures, but also provide intended benefits to the nation and protect the people who live near them,” said Billy Thomson, project manager.
The extensive projects involve sandblasting, painting, rehabilitation and other maintenance of the roller gates at each lock and dam. The roller gates will be repainted grey. Specifically at Lock and Dam 5A, the work includes rehabilitation of the roller gate bulkheads, Tainter gate bulkheads and bulkhead storage carts, as well as installing corrosion protection
on the roller gates.
“One of the notable aesthetic changes that the public will see throughout the projects is changing in the roller gate paint color from red to grey. The coating system is critical in providing durability for the damming surface,” Thomson said.
The previous gates were painted with V-106 red paint due to availability and affordability. Trusted suppliers have recently started phasing out production due to manufacturing concerns with the formation containing
hazardous characteristics and pass/fail rate issues with hydraulic steel structure application.
“A major project like this requires careful planning and coordination, encompassing essential elements such as thorough inspections, necessary repairs, fabrication of components, safe scaffolding design,
debris removal and safety measures for abrasive blasting,” said Greg Hammons, contracting officer representative. “Each of these components is critical to ensuring the project’s success and the long-term integrity
of the infrastructure.”
Lock and dam gate maintenance represents a significant undertaking, highlighting the importance of regular maintenance that prevents larger issues in the future.
“The last extensive painting of dam gates and service bridges were completed at locks and dams 4 and 6, in 2006,” said Mike Dahlquist,
operations division, engineering support. “Since then, funding for similar projects has been scarce, although some routine gate maintenance was carried out through hired labor during lock dewatering projects, focusing on painting lock miter gates. This gap underscores the pressing need for investment in infrastructure maintenance, paving the way for the ongoing efforts to revitalize and protect these critical structures.”
The St. Paul District is not alone on this effort on the Upper Mississippi River, Thomson explained. The district is part of a collaborative effort with the Rock Island and St. Louis districts.
“The district has leveraged the experiences of the Rock Island and St. Louis districts throughout design and construction, organizations who have also had recent gate maintenance, repair and replacement projects,” Thomson said. “Learning from others can lead to improved outcomes and
cost savings.”
Navigation remains uninterrupted at Lock and Dam 5 as dam repair work focuses solely on the components of the dam. Contractors expect to work through Nov. 15, aiming to complete structural inspections and prepare a detailed repair plan for the second construction season. Season 2 is
expected to begin in the spring of 2025, with an emphasis on essential structural repairs to ensure the long-term stability and safety of the dam.
“These two projects are the first in a portfolio of work that will be ongoing on the river for years to come. The team is committed to using this opportunity to not only address issues now, but also best inform operation and maintenance decision making for future
decades,” Thomson said.
| Date Taken: | 11.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2024 10:11 |
| Story ID: | 486168 |
| Location: | ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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