USA: Dredging Starts at Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held on October 29, 2012 to mark the completion of construction on the confined disposal facility (CDF) and the start of dredging at the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal in East Chicago, Indiana.

Government officials joined the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) Chicago District, as well as representatives from the Kokosing Construction|O’Brien & Gere Joint Venture (JV), at this special event to signal the start of mechanical dredging for the Indiana Harbor and Canal Dredging and Disposal Project.

Due to the presence of contaminated sediments and lack of a suitable storage area for the sediment, the harbor has not been dredged since 1972. The USACE Chicago District plans to remove approximately 1.8 million cubic yards of sediment, deepening the channels to restore the harbor and ship canal to navigable depths. Dredged material will be placed in barges and transported to the CDF, where it will be off-loaded hydraulically.

Real-time air monitoring around the disposal site is being maintained by the JV team and reported through a public website, created to inform the community about ongoing dredging activities.

To support the project, the Kokosing Construction|O’Brien & Gere JV is providing engineering and dredging services under a $60.4 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract with the USACE Chicago District. O’Brien & Gere is providing air monitoring and compliance, water treatment system design, construction management, website design, and operations & maintenance services. Kokosing Construction is providing dredging and sediment services and construction services in support of the water treatment system.

[mappress]

Press Release, November 2, 2012