Great Bridge Lock reopens after repairs complete

Posted September 2, 2011
By Patrick Bloodgood, Norfolk District Public Affairs

09/02/2011 - CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Great Bridge Lock reopened today to vessels traversing the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway via the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal now that repairs are complete to the locks.

High water and debris damaged the swing arm of the structure during Hurricane Irene, causing the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to use a limited locking scheduled.

Repairs, which began on Monday, took several days to complete and involved removing pieces of the lock gate arms that have been in place since the mid-1930's.

The locks at Great Bridge resume their normal operational schedule of on demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The Dismal Swamp Canal remains closed to vessel traffic due to trees knocked down during Hurricane Irene blocking the waterway.

For information about the status of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal as well as the Dismal Swamp Canal, call (757) 201-7500 and select option 3. Information is also available online at www.nao.usace.army.mil or on the District's Facebook and Twitter sites www.facebook.com/NAOonFB or www.twitter.com/norfolkdistrict.

Boaters underway can reach bridge and lock operators on marine radio channel 13.