The Peoria Lock, located on the Illinois River in Creve Coeur, is getting some major infrastructure improvements this week.
The Army Corps of Engineers says the $4.8 million project involves replacing “miter gates.” They’re giant steel slabs located at both ends of the lock that open and close, to allow river traffic to pass through the chamber.
Col. Craig Baumgartner is Commander of the Rock Island District of the US Army Corps of Engineers.
“Miter gate changeout is a way we can provide a more predictable system, prevent future major component failures," Baumgartner said. "The ones that are here are long overdue. We’ve done the risk assessment on them, they’re definitely in need of changeout.”
Baumgartner says each gate "leaf" costs $1.2 million to replace. The Corps is replacing four, during the two-day upgrade on Mon. and Tues. He says traffic can still pass through during the replacement.
The Army Corps of Engineers says the federal government appropriated funding for the upgrade in fiscal year 2016.