The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is beginning a maintenance project to replace the center miter gates on the Large Lock chamber in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. This major project will require several 30-day closures to facilitate demolition, concrete construction, and installation and commissioning of the new miter gates.
There will be at least 15 days between closures to accommodate marine traffic. Additionally, the Small Lock will remain open during these periods and can pass vessels up to 123 feet long and 28 feet wide. Currently the Large Lock is scheduled to be closed to all vessel traffic during the following periods:
- 10/16/2023 through 11/14/2023
- 11/30/2023 through 12/29/2023
- 01/14/2024 through 02/12/2024
- 10/15/2024 through 11/13/2024
- 11/29/2024 through 12/28/2024
Closure dates are projected and may change as the project schedule is finalized. For each closure cycle, the Large Lock will close for no more than 30 days and will open for 15 days for vessel traffic. Boaters should check the official Locks Closure Page for current information and schedule changes. For specific questions, mariners may contact the lockmasters at (206) 297-9821.
The Large Lock is expected to be fully operational on December 29, 2024.
Who was Hiram Chittenden? (1858-1917). Hiram was the Seattle district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers from 1906 to 1908 and a graduate of West Point. He was also a historian and writer, and one of the first three elected Seattle Port Commissioners. He helped found the Association of Pacific Ports in 1913. Chittenden was in charge of many notable projects throughout the United States. He moved to Seattle in 1906 when developer James Moore offered to complete a canal to link Lake Washington and Lake Union with Salmon Bay and the tidal waters of Puget Sound. Around the same time, Chittenden prepared an extensive report on how to complete the canal work. His proposal called for both a large lock and a small lock, constructed of concrete next to each other at the narrow foot of the west end of Salmon Bay.
The opening of the Lake Washington Canal in July 1917 was inaugurated before a huge crowd, but Chittenden was too ill to attend. He watched the parade of boats as he sat in his wheelchair on the porch of his home situated along the western slope of Capitol Hill. He died 3 months later at the age of 58. In November 1956, the Lake Washington Ship Canal Locks were named in his honor, all three of his children were in attendance.
Historical Photo: USACE
