Corps releases FY12 Allegheny River Service Reduction Plan
BoatPittsburgh.com
31 March 2011
The US Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District has released a
Fiscal Year 2012 Allegheny River service reduction plan that will keep
six of eight locks open to recreational traffic while eliminating
service for pleasure boaters at the two uppermost locks. Commercial
traffic will have access to all locks, some by appointment, and hours
at the first three locks will drop from 24-hour service to two 8-hour
shifts.
The reduction in service anticipates passage of the President's Fiscal
Year 2012 budget which would cut funding for operation and maintenance
of the Allegheny River navigation system in half, from the President's
FY11 budget of $8.4 million to $4 million in FY12. The impending budget
reduction required a decision this spring so that managers of the
system could begin re-assigning up to 18 people from the Allegheny
River to other navigation facilities on the Ohio and Monongahela rivers
or to Corps reservoirs.
The formation of the plan considered more than 60 written comments and
suggestions as well as ideas presented at several meetings with
business owners, community and local officials, and the public. The
schedule, which takes effect Oct. 1, 2011, is as follows:
Locks 2-5 - Two eight-hour shifts (8:15 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.), seven days
per week for commercial and recreational traffic.
* Commercial multiple lockages provided at Locks 2-3
by appointment.
* Commercial double lockages will be provided at
Lock 4 (no appointment necessary).
* No triple lockages will be available at Lock 4.
* Commercial double lockages will be provided at
Lock 5 by appointment.
* Recreational boaters will have access.
Locks 6 and 7 - One shift on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from May
1-Sept. 30 for commercial and recreational traffic. (Actual dates may
vary and will be provided to public through a Navigation Notice).
* The Saturday, Sunday and holiday shift will be
from 12:30 to 8:10 p.m.
* Commercial tow lockages will be provided by
appointment.
* Recreational boaters will only be permitted to
lock through during the Saturday, Sunday and holiday shift.
Locks 8 and 9 - Closed to recreational boaters. Commercial lockages
provided by appointment.Additional lockage hours for special events
will be considered on a case by case basis.
For the 2011 recreational season, the hours of operation will remain as
they have in past years. To view the seasonal hours for the upcoming
summer, visit http://BoatPittsburgh.com's
Seasonal Lock Schedule Page.
The President's fiscal year 2012 (FY12) budget focuses on directing
funds to programs that provide the highest return on investment. To
accomplish this, federal agencies were required to identify
low-priority programs for either elimination or a 50 percent reduction
in budget. Nationally, the President's FY12 budget provides $76
million for the Corps' low use navigation projects compared to FY11's
$140 million.
For its navigation program, the Corps of Engineers identified projects
with low commercial use. Locally, the Pittsburgh District's Allegheny
River system was identified as a low commercial use project, and
subsequently received $4 million in the FY12 President's budget. When
compared to $8.4 million in the FY11 President's budget, this reduction
is significant.
The FY12 funding is $1.9 million less than what's needed to maintain
the current level of service and requires the elimination of
significant maintenance of the system. This reduction in funding will
greatly impact the service provided to Allegheny River users,
especially recreational boaters. Commercial vessels will have
priority access to all locks.