Soo Locks closes until spring

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (WLUC) -This weekend the Soo Locks will close, ending the Great Lakes shipping season.

The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie help cargo ships move from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, which have a 21ft elevation difference.

Beginning Sunday, the Soo Locks will be closed until March 26.

Jeff Harrington, from the Soo Locks Operations Office said that the annual closure allows the Locks to undergo crucial maintenance and updates.

“That’s the time where the crews here at Soo Locks, right here at the facility, undertake some of that heavy maintenance and make sure that operations reliability is ready to go,” said Harrington. “It ensures a successful season the following year.”

This year, repairs will include new hinges for the upstream gates on the Poe Lock, and rehabilitation of an overflow regulator.