The Illinois River is about to be open for business again after the Army Corps of Engineers performed maintenance work on three locks and dams on the river this summer.
The Brandon Road Lock and Dam, Dresden Island Lock and Dam, and Marseilles Lock and Dam have been closed since June 1, cutting off the shipping lane between Chicago and the Mississippi River to barge traffic.
Those repairs are scheduled for completion on Sept. 30, allowing transport of commodities like iron ore and scrap metal. According to the Waterways Council, a single towboat pulling 15 barges can carry more freight than 1,000 semi-truck trailers.
A Texas A&M study from 2022 found that the overall carbon footprint of barge shipping is nine times smaller than trucking’s and about half that of rail.
