The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has started repair work at the Canaveral Lock, which will impact operations over the next six months.
The repairs are necessary to fix a collapsing guide wall on the south side of the lock. In order to accommodate equipment placed in the lock to facilitate the repairs, the Corps will operate the lock on an adjusted scheduled:
· Weekdays, 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. Lock open, one lockage in each direction
· Weekdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lock closed for repair work
· Weekdays, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Lock open, lockages as needed
· Weekends, 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Lock open, lockages as needed
The change in operating hours will be in effect until the repairs are complete, currently estimated to be the summer of 2013. Additionally, vessels that require more than 45 feet of horizontal clearance will need to coordinate passage through the lock at least seven days in advance by contacting the Canaveral Lock at (321) 783-5421.
“We recognize the inconvenience these repairs will cause,” said John Kilpatrick, chief of the district’s Multi-Project Branch, which has oversight of the repairs. “However, if the damage isn’t fixed now, we could be faced with a larger repair job that could completely close the lock for a longer period of time.”
The lock is located between Port Canaveral’s west turning basin and the Banana River. It was constructed in 1965 to assist with safe passage from the port to the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of six locks operated by the Jacksonville District.
A Notice to Navigation has been issued on this subject. For more information on navigation notices concerning Canaveral Lock or the Okeechobee Waterway, please visit the following website:
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Navigation/NoticestoNavigation.aspx
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