A California-based company will appeal the federal government’s decision to terminate its contract on a project to replace the Chickamauga Lock in Chattanooga.
The Army Corps of Engineers is in the homestretch of a two-decade effort to replace the lock at the Chickamauga Dam. The lock raises and lowers vessels between different levels of the Tennessee River. The new facility will be able to handle nine barges at once, compared to the existing capacity of one.
It will also address a structural problem with “concrete growth” at the facility. When the lock was built in 1940, crews used stones that contained a high concentration of a mineral called dolomite, which creates a gel-like substance when mixed with cement that causes tensions across the billions of rocks that make up the dam.
The Corps said earlier this month it was severing its agreement with Shimmick Construction in an effort to protect taxpayer dollars. The Corps accused the company of failing to maintain the project’s schedule and make progress on critical work.
“We are grateful for our hardworking employees, subcontractors and other local partners who have helped progress this important project despite the unique challenges faced during our work on it,” said a statement attributed to Shimmick CEO Ural Yal posted on the company’s website. “Shimmick has a long history of serving as a strong partner to the USACE (the Corps) and takes pride in our work together for nearly a century.”