Reconstruction of McAlpine locks and dam, upon completion, will continue and extend the benefits derived from existing navigation facilities. The new 1,200-foot lock eliminates the necessity for making double lockages previously required by about 25 percent of the tows using the 600-foot lock, thereby reducing the lockage time. Additional delay is eliminated by the increase in width of the upstream channel approach, which was too narrow to permit the large tows now in vogue to pass one another. The modifications eliminated the bottleneck in the Ohio River navigation system which existed at this site and which was rapidly becoming worse. Tonnage passing through the locks during 1962 was about 25,700,000 tons and continuing increases are indicated by industrial development in the region. Traffic on the Ohio River has doubled on an average of once every 11 years since completion of the old locks and at an even faster rate in the McAlpine Dam area. Fiscal year 1965.-The requested amount of $2,800,000 will be applied to Engineering and design_. Supervision and administration_. Complete construction of buildings, grounds, and utilities. $1,800 673, 600 1,684, 700 195,000 78, 500 27, 400 139, 000 2, 800, 000 Total___ The funds requested will provide for completion of the project except for alteration of the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge. Non-Federal costs.-The Pennsylvania Railroad Co. is expected to participate in modification of its bridge in the approach to the new lock if modification is required. It is proposed to place the navigation facilities in operation and to study actual conditions in the upper lock approach through the existing bridge span to determine if modification of the bridge is required. If modification is required, the principals of apportionment of cost contained in the act of June 21, 1940 (Truman-Hobbs), will be applied. It is estimated that costs so incurred by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. would approximate $782,000. The maintenance of this bridge would continue to be the responsibility of the railroad company. In addition, modification of existing facilities, which were originally constructed under Department of the Army permit pursuant to section 10 of the River and Harbor Act approved March 3, 1899, will be required. The owners will adapt their facilities to new project conditions at an estimated cost of $432,000. Status of local cooperation.—The matter of participation by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. in bridge alterations has been postponed indefinitely pending study of traffic operating characteristics through the widened canal and new lock and verification of need for bridge alterations. Owners of other affected private facilities which are located within the limits of the river under Federal jurisdiction will be expected to modify those facilities at their own expense in accordance with the permit regulations under which the facilities were originally constructed. Comparison of Federal cost estimate.-The current Federal cost estimate of $54,300,000 is an increase of $2,300,000 over the latest estimate ($52 million) submitted to Congress. This change includes increases due to higher price levels, bids for rehabilitation of existing locks, and a recent reanalysis of requirements for engineering and design and supervision and administration. Summary construction program (PB-1), fiscal years 1964 and 1965 PIKE ISLAND LOCKS AND DAM, OHIO RIVER, OHIO AND W. VA. (Continuing) Location. The site of the locks and dam is in Belmont County, Ohio, and Ohio County, W. Va., on the Ohio River, about 2 miles upstream from Warwood, W. Va., and about 84.2 miles below the head of the river at Pittsburgh, Pa. Authorization.-1909 River and Harbor Act (sec. 6). Benefit-cost ratio.-2.2 to 1. The Ohio River is one of the most important inland waterways of the world. It is the vital link between the northern industrial States, such as West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and the south and southern gulf ports. The products which it bears in vast quantities are iron and steel, coal and coke for the manufacture of iron and steel, fuel oil, gasoline, and other petroleum products, sulfur, limestone, and iron and steel scrap. Tonnages of traffic are very large and have been constantly increasing. For example, traffic on the Ohio River has doubled on the average of once every 11 years since completion of the present system and all indications are that the growth in traffic will continue for many years and may be accelerated by the rapid industrial expansion now taking place in the valley. The basic iron and steel industry is dependent upon river transportation via the Ohio River. Steel manufacturers at Pittsburgh, Pa.; Weirton, W. Va.; Steubenville, Ohio; Wheeling, W. Va.; and points downstream use the river extensively to ship their finished products. The heavy concentration of steel production below Pittsburgh receives practically all of its requirements of coking coal in barges which traverse the Ohio, and much of its limestone and other important operating supplies are delivered in the same manner. Their dependence upon river transportation is not merely a matter of operating economy, but if river shipments were halted for any appreciable length of time their operations would be critically curtailed. Locks 10 and 11 were constructed in the period 1904-16. These structures, because they are single locks of limited length, cannot handle efficiently the growing volume of traffic now using the Ohio River. In addition, these structures are in a badly deteriorated condition and it is possible that either one of them may have to be closed for extensive and prolonged repairs at any time because of a major failure which would be disastrous for the essential traffic which moves through this section of the Ohio River. Pike Island locks and dam will replace existing locks and dams 10 and 11 which have neared the end of their economic life and cannot be expected to long continue to operate. Replacement of these obsolete locks will not only decidedly improve navigation conditions on the important Ohio River but will insure noninterrupted traffic in this important industrial center of the United States. Fiscal year 1965.-The requested amount of $7,539,000 will be applied to— Complete relocations___. Initiate and complete pool clearing and removal of locks and dams 10 and 11___. Complete construction of dam__ Initiate and complete construction of mooring cells- Complete temporary operation of locks---. Initiate and complete channel dredging and bank treatment of lower lock approach_-_. Initiate and complete construction of recreation facilities---. Supervision and administration____ Total--- $1,346, 100 1, 107, 000 2, 711, 000 125,000 100, 000 1, 303, 600 252, 000 17,000 577, 300 7,539, 000 The funds requested will provide for completion of the project. Non-Federal cost.-Construction of the project will require modification of existing facilities which were originally constructed under Department of Army permit pursuant to section 10 of the River and Harbor Act approved March 3, 1899. The owners will adapt their facilities to new project conditions at an estimated cost of $575,000. Status of local cooperation.-None required. However, owners of affected private facilities which are located within the limits of the river under Federal jurisdiction will be expected to modify those facilities at their own expense in accordance with the permit regulations under which the facilities were originally constructed. Comparison of Federal cost estimates.-No change from latest estimate submitted to Congress. Summary construction program (PB-1), fiscal years 1964 and 1965 RACINE LOCKS AND DAM, OHIO RIVER, OHIO AND W. Va. (Continuing) Location. In Ohio River 237.3 miles below Pittsburgh, Pa., in Meigs County, Ohio, and Mason County, W. Va., and 1.5 miles downstream from Letart Falls, Ohio. Authorization.-1909 River and Harbor Act (sec. 6). The Racine locks and dam will replace the old and outmoded structures at locks and dams 21, 22, and 23 which will have reached the end of their economic life by the time the Racine project can be completed. Due to rapid industrial expansion now taking place on the Ohio River, the old structures are not capable of efficiently handling the modern type tows and the large volume of traffic now using the river. Traffic through the project area averaged about 16,370,000 tons in 1962. A great percentage of total traffic time required in moving cargo along the reach of the river served by locks 21, 22, and 23 is consumed in passing through the locks and waiting for other tows to clear the locks. The demand upon the locks caused by increasing traffic is rapidly accelerating their deterioration and any breakdowns will create intolerable conditions. In addition to eliminating delays to navigation, the proposed project will eliminate difficulties and hazards involved in operating wicket type dams under ice conditions and insure against serious interruption to traffic resulting from breakdowns. Ton-mile traffic on the Ohio River has increased over 13 times since 1930, and has more than doubled since 1950. Total river tonnage for 1962 was a record 85,306,058 and ton-miles were about 19.7 billion. All indications are that the growth in river transportation will continue for many years and is being accelerated by the rapid industrial expansion now occurring in the river basin. The efficient and uninterrupted river transportation of coal, petroleum, steel products, and chemicals, to, from, and through this area is highly important in normal times and the importance is emphasized in times of national emergency. |