President Barack Obama's proposed 2014 federal budget would give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ $163 million dollars for the Olmsted Locks and Dam project. The budget still needs to be authorized by congress. Corps of Engineers spokesman Jon Fleshman said finishing the projects as soon as possible is a priority.
“This project of course is important to the whole inland waterways system because we’re talking about the busiest stretch of waterway in the whole United States," Fleshman said. "You got 90 million tons that pass through that area annually.”
Fleshman says the Corps will also need authorization to increase its spending limit. He says with inflation the project has cost just under $1.7 billion dollars. If authorized the Olmsted Locks and Dam should be finished by 2020.
