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Congressmen Davis, LaHood Announce Grant for Illinois River Locks

U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) Friday announced the Trump Administration will provide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with $57.5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 funding to continue major rehabilitation work at the LaGrange Lock and Dam located on the Illinois River south of Beardstown, IL in Cass County. Earlier this year, Davis and LaHood announced the initial $10 million allocated for FY 2018 to begin this pr
Congressman Davis said he was pleased to see the administration continue to invest in critical navigation infrastructure like LaGrange.  David added that frequent shutdowns at LaGrange continue to have a negative impact on the region’s economy and said this investment will ensure farmers and other users of our waterways have access to this critical mode of transporting and exporting what they grow and produce.

The LaGrange Lock is the southernmost lock on the Illinois River and accommodates a heavy amount of barge traffic, the majority of which includes agricultural commodities. It was placed into service in 1939 and currently requires major rehabilitation of concrete, electrical, and mechanical systems. 
The lock last underwent major rehabilitation work in 1988. More than 60 percent of all U.S. grain exports move through locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers including LaGrange, but due to their age, reliability has become a significant issue in recent years. 

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