The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, awards a $1.5 million contract to Luedtke Engineering Co. of Frankfort, Mich., a small business, for dredging of the Saginaw River. Dredging will occur in the Sixth Street turning basin in Saginaw, Mich., and also upstream of the Liberty Bridge in Bay City, Mich.
Heavy spring rains caused rapid silting of the turning basin, reducing its depth from 20 feet to about 12 feet. The extensive shoaling in the turning basin has greatly restricted shipments of commodities such as cement, coal, limestone, salt, potash and grain. Shoaling upstream of the Liberty Bridge resulted in a vessel grounding on June 25, and will also be addressed by this contract.
“The Saginaw River is an avenue for environmentally friendly and efficient transport of raw materials and products essential to the region’s economy and jobs, ” said Lt. Col. Robert Ells, district engineer . “ This dredging project will provide access to large freighters and help keep commerce moving.”
Luedtke Engineering will dredge just over 100,000 cubic yards of material and deposit it in the nearby Upper Saginaw River Dredged Material Disposal Facility, which straddles the Saginaw County-Bay county line. The dredging is expected to begin in mid July.
The contract was awarded under the Corps’ Multiple Award Task Order Contract, MATOC, which the Detroit District established with 10 companies capable of dredging in the Great Lakes. The MATOC is designed to provide greater flexibility and expedite the bid solicitation-award process for dredging in Great Lakes commercial shipping channels and harbors.
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Press Release, July 3, 2013