Our thanks to Matt the Bridge Tender and Mike Camerata for this update. Extra caution is required when divers are in the water as noted below. Great Bridge Lock is located in Great Bridge, VA. Your alternate southbound ICW route during these 12hr closures will be the Dismal Swamp Canal which departs the Waterway at statute mile 7.2. Your northbound alternate would be northeast up the Pasquatank River to Elizabeth City and into the southern end of the Dismal Swamp Canal. Contact information for further details is listed below.

4/5/19 Larry, just spoke with one of the lockmasters at GB Locks, he stated the locks will not be closed on 10 & 11 April as previously scheduled, possibly rescheduling to 11 May.  When I see something in writing from the CG or Army Corps I’ll pass it along.

Matt

Hi Larry,

Talked directly (by phone) to the Great Bridge lock operator today (Thursday). I was checking on my planned Sunday passage. He said the April 10 & 11 shut down has been delayed by the USACOE to an unknown (to him) date.

A lot of rumors and suspect info has been floating around. Others have reported talking the workers (not the operators) and gotten wrong info.

Mike Camarata
Improbability

SEC HR BNM 059-19

VIRGINIA – ELIZABETH RIVER – GREAT BRIDGE LOCKS

MARINERS ARE ADVISED THE GREAT BRIDGE LOCKS WILL BE CLOSED TO NAVIGATION ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES DUE TO ONGOING MAINTENANCE WORK. BEGINNING MARCH 20, 2019, THE GREAT BRIDGE LOCKS WILL BE CLOSED TO NAVIGATION FROM 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM. BETWEEN MARCH 25 THROUGH MARCH 28, 2019 DIVERS WILL BE INSTALLING NEW HARDWARE ON THE SOUTH AND WEST END REQUIRING CLOSURE FROM 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM ON ALL FOUR DAYS. THE FINAL CLOSURE WILL TAKE PLACE ON APRIL 10 AND 11, 2019 FROM 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM BOTH DAYS. OCCASIONAL DELAYS TO NAVIGATION ARE EXPECTED FROM APRIL 15, 2019 UNTIL JUNE 7, 2019 IN SUPPORT OF CRANE OPERATIONS WITHIN THE LOCKS. THE HORIZONTAL CLEARANCE OF THE LOCK WILL BE LIMITED TO 70 FEET DURING THESE REPAIRS. MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE A LARGE BERTH TO THE WORK AREA WHICH WILL BE MARKED WITH A YELLOW SAFETY BEAM ON THE LOCK WALL. FOLLOW-ON ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BE MADE WITH EXACT TIMES OF FINAL REMOVAL AND RELOCATION OF THE COFFERDAM IS EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE SOMETIME IN JUNE. THOSE PLANNING TO USE THIS ROUTE CAN CONTACT THE GREAT BRIDGE LOCK OPERATOR AT 757-547-3311 OR REFER TO THE LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS FOR ADDITONAL INFORMATION. MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION IN THE AREA.

VA – ATLANTIC COAST INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY – ALBEMARLE AND CHESAPEAKE CANAL – GREAT BRIDGE LOCK – VALVE REPLACEMENT
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be performing valve replacement and diving at the Great Bridge Lock, located in Chesapeake, Virginia, starting on March 20, 2019 and concluding on approximately June 7, 2019.
1) On March 20, 2019, the removal of the existing cofferdam on the northeast end of the lock wall will take place; the lock will be closed from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
2) Between March 25, 2019 and March 28, 2019, divers will be installing hardware on the south west end of the lock for the cofferdam installation. Lock will be closed from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM during these 4 days.
3) On April 10, 2019 and April 11, 2019, the installation of a cofferdam on the south west end of the lock wall will occur. The lock will be closed from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM on both days.
4) From April 15, 2019 to approximately June 7, 2019, a crew will be working on the removal and installation of the replacement valves 7 days per week. During this time period, there will be occasional delays to navigation to provide crane support in the lock.
5) The removal of the cofferdam will take place in June, and the exact time and closure will be issued in a separated Notice. The horizontal clearance of the lock will be limited to 70 feet during these repairs. Vessels shall provide a large berth to the work area that will be marked with a yellow safety beam on the lock wall.
Those planning to use this route can contact the Great Bridge Lock operator at 757-547-3311 or the Norfolk District office at 757-201-7642 Chart 12206 LNM 12/19

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