Large Lock Center Gate At Chittenden Locks Remains Open Till Nov. 4

USACE/SEATTLE DISTRICT
Published Oct. 3, 2024
Photo of a commercial vessel names Gulf Cajun passing through the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.

The Gulf Cajun commercial vessel passes through the large lock at Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Seattle, Washington, from the Puget Sound into Lake Washington, July 19, 2022.

Aerial view of Lake Washington Ship Canal

Aerial view of Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Photo Courtesy of Civil Air Patrol)

The Gulf Cajun commercial vessel approaches the large lock, Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.

The Gulf Cajun commercial vessel approaches the large lock, Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Seattle, Washington, to pass from the Puget Sound into Lake Washington, July 19, 2022.

The large lock chamber at Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks will remain open to navigation through noon, Nov. 4.  

Closure 4, part of the large lock center gate replacement project which began October 2023, will not extend past Nov. 13.

Full chamber navigation, beginning Nov. 14, remains in effect.

U.S. Army Corps officials explain the extension facilitates assessing the large lock center miter gate components and approving overall specifications, as the final confirmation that the gates are ready for delivery and installation.

The contractor leverages this additional time to ensure the new gates are installed as seamless as possible upon arrival at the Chittenden Locks.

The Army Corps owns and operates the Locks, the busiest in the nation. Nearly 50,000 vessels lock through each year.

Most machinery and equipment, including the large lock center miter gate, are original to the Locks. Improving this 107-year-old navigation infrastructure will help the Army Corps supply consistent and dependable navigation over the years to come.  

Check our official Locks Closure page for closure information and schedule changes.

For more information about the Chittenden Locks, follow us on Facebook .

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Contact
Nicole L. Celestine
206-554-1894
nicole.l.celestine@usace.army.mil

Release no. 24-030