The Industrial Canal Lock Replacement project has been the subject of several decades of planning, community involvement, intense media coverage, and controversy. Over the years, several project alternatives involving significant loss of wetlands in St. Bernard Parish or major disruptions to the densely urbanized areas adjoining the existing lock in New Orleans have been proposed. The current design of the project has clearly benefited from the lengthy planning process - the Corps listened to community concerns and applied innovative engineering to develop the present plan. The authorized plan provides for construction of the new lock without residential relocations and with minimal disruption to navigation traffic in the canal and vehicular traffic on bridge crossings over the canal. In addition, a Community Impact Mitigation Plan was authorized as an integral feature of the project construction to fully address impacts that were not completely avoided.

Unfortunately, the many years of contentious project planning has resulted in a great deal of misinformation about the project. Provided below are factual responses to a number of prevalent myths about the project.

Myth: This is a canal widening project.
Fact: We will NOT widen the canal, which is 690 feet between centerlines of the levees. No new right-of-way is required to build the project and there will be no takings of private property or homes. Rather it is the lock that will be enlarged to accommodate modern vessel traffic. The current lock is 75 feet wide and 640 feet long. It will be widened 47 percent to 110 feet. At 1,200 feet, the new lock will be about twice as long as the old one.

Myth: There will be 10-12 years of continuous disruption during construction.
Fact: The estimated construction period for the project is 10-12 years. However, the surrounding communities will not be disrupted for the entire construction period. the work will take place in phases, at different times in various locations, most of it within the canal itself. Each project feature is being designed and managed to minimize disruption. Construction activities that may be disruptive to the neighboring communities (such as pile driving or truck hauling) will not occur at night.

Myth: The Claiborne and St. Claude Bridges will be closed for long periods.
Fact: The bridges at St. Claude and North Claiborne Avenues will remain open over the entire construction period, with minor exceptions. A temporary $17 million bridge will avoid closures altogether on St. Claude. At no time during construction will more than one bridge be out of service and there will be no closures scheduled during the hurricane season.

Myth: The project will cause long periods of significant traffic congestion on neighborhood streets.
Fact: The project has been designed to minimize traffic disruptions. Project features addressing this concern include the $17 million St. Claude temporary bridge; off-site construction of the North Claiborne Bridge and the lock itself; float-in of bridge and lock components. Much of the construction work will be done from the water and much of the materials and equipment required for the project will be transported on the canal. Each project feature will have designated truck routes designed to minimize disruption to neighborhood traffic.

Myth: The project has been "shoved down the throat" of the neighborhoods.
Fact: Claims that the Corps will "shove the lock down the neighborhood's throat" ignore years of listening to residents and more than $50 million of responses. Example 1, $17 million temporary bridge at St. Claude Avenue. Example 2, changing the new lock's location to avoid dislocating homes, costing more than $10 million. Example 3, $37 million Community-Based Mitigation Plan, now getting started.

Myth: The project will damage private property and the Corps will not respond to legitimate claims of damage.
Fact: First, damages to private property are not expected. Second, as with any Corps project, legitimate claims of property damage will be paid out of construction contingency funds. With input from the Community-Based Mitigation Committee and other members of the community, the Corps is developing standard procedures that will document pre-project conditions and monitor construction activities so that claims of damages can be fairly evaluated and resolved.