A ceremonial opening ceremony was held on Wednesday to commemorate the former US Congressman.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the Pittsburgh District, local politicians and the public gathered Wednesday morning for a formal opening ceremony for the renamed John P. Murtha Locks and Dam.
This lock, formerly the Monessen/Charleroi Locks and Dam 4, took 20 years to rebuild. It is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project, which aims to improve operations at three navigation facilities near Braddock, Elizabeth and Charleroi.
The Corps began construction of Locks and Dam 4 in 1931, replacing a lock and dam system that had been in operation since the late 19th century and was located just downstream from the current location.
In 1963, the locks and dam were converted from a fixed dam to a gated dam, raising the level of the basin upstream by six feet. The work was completed in 1967 and construction of the new Charleroi river chamber began in 2004.
The new facility is built to meet the demands of modern commerce, said Col. Nicholas Melin, Pittsburgh District commander and the project’s ninth commander. It is 84 feet wide and 720 feet long.
Construction involved 14 individual contracts, 250,000 cubic yards of concrete pumped across the river, 13 million pounds of rebar, and the removal of over 1.1 million cubic yards of earth.
The name of the facility was changed to “John P. Murtha Locks and Dam” when the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 authorized the renaming to honor the congressman who served in the Pennsylvania and U.S. House of Representatives. He holds the record for the longest tenure as a Pennsylvania representative in the U.S. House of Representatives – a “public servant” from 1969 until his death in 2010.
“It’s really exciting to see everyone who has come here today to celebrate this great event,” Melin said. “It’s my honor to welcome you as we dedicate and rename Monongahela River Locks and Dams 4 the John P. Murtha Locks and Dam.”
“I actually spoke to his son earlier and he told me that his father never took a single day off during his entire nearly 40-year congressional career. He was committed to working for this region every day. The state-of-the-art infrastructure here reflects John P. Murtha’s vision of a stronger, more resilient Western Pennsylvania and has had a real impact – pun intended.”
Murtha joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1952 to serve in the Korean War, volunteered as an intelligence officer in Vietnam – where he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V”, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Valor -, contributed to economic stability in the 12th Congressional District and worked to combat high unemployment after the steel industry left the region.
“We are not here today just to rename a facility,” Melin said. “We are here to recognize the culmination of decades of effort by hundreds of people who spent long hours, long nights, cold winters and sweltering summers like this one to complete the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ newest, most modern lock chamber.”
“It is a monumental engineering feat. The Lower Mon Project entails more than 30 years of planning and 20 years of construction. It is the final phase in a long history of major infrastructure improvements along the Monongahela River, one of the most important commercial waterways in the entire United States of America.”
The lock was opened on Wednesday with a grand opening ceremony. The first boat, from Campbell Transportation Company, Inc., arrived. The U.S. Navy ship named after Murtha was unable to attend the ceremony.
Melin thanked the event’s speakers, elected officials, marine stakeholders, project engineers, management and construction supervisors, as well as administrative staff, logisticians, resource managers, divers, everyday workers and communities along the lower Monongahela.
He also thanked the Port of Pittsburgh Commission, the Waterways Commission, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Waterways Commission and the Murtha family.
“This part of the river is being modernized for the next century,” Melin said. “But the purpose of this project goes far beyond the construction itself. It’s about securing the future of the Monongahela River as a vital inland waterway route.”
“The magnificent new facility you see before you today is a testament to the great craftsmen and women who built this new lock chamber. This project is for you and for the people of this region and we are very proud to be able to hand it over to you today.”
Guests included John Murtha Jr. and the Murtha family, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Pittsburgh Port Board Chairman Conor Lamb, State Rep. Eric Davanzo and Westmoreland County Commissioner Sean Kertes.
Also in attendance were U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Megaproject Area Engineer Kirk McWilliams, Operations Project Manager Alan Nogy, Megaproject Program Manager Steve Fritz, Lockmaster Keith Millstine, and staff and retired colonels.
Davis, who grew up along the river in McKeesport, spoke to the audience about the importance of infrastructure in Pennsylvania and the important role rivers play in the state’s economy.
“When we invest in infrastructure, we’re investing in our future, and frankly, nobody understood that better than Congressman John Murtha,” Davis said. “He was the kind of public servant I certainly want to be, and I think many of us who have entered public life do, too.”
“He had a tremendous impact that we can still see today, but he never forgot where he came from. John, I know you are proud of your father every day. I want you to know that the good people of Pennsylvania are proud of him, too. This renaming is a testament to his tireless commitment to his constituents and his country.”
Davis said he looks forward to seeing this project come to fruition, adding there is no more fitting way to honor Murtha’s memory.
“He spent his entire career advocating for projects like this in our region. I grew up floating on these rivers,” Davis said. “I could always see the locks and dams, but I never got close enough to actually get on one. That infrastructure is part of what makes Western Pennsylvania so great. It built the steel industry, and I think it’s special that we’re still doing that today and preserving it for generations to come.”
Nogy has worked on the lock for 17 years and has been its manager for six. He said he grew up in Charleroi-Nord and there has never been an unplanned closure of the construction site.
“For me, this is a great day,” said Nogy. “It is a testament to the commitment of the people who have worked here since 2004 and that we can keep the plant running until the new technology and modernization that we have put into this new chamber can be fully utilized and benefit the region.”
Monongahela River Locks 2, 3, and 4 in Allegheny, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties are the oldest operating navigation facilities on the river and have the highest commercial traffic volume.
Pittsburgh County operates 23 locks and dams on the Ohio, Monongahela and Allegheny rivers. The network of locks and dams saves shippers and consumers $4 billion in transportation costs compared to road and rail transportation and generates $200 million in annual benefits to the region and the country.
Melin said the opening and ribbon cutting are a “huge milestone” for the district and region and have long been a top priority for the Corps of Engineers. He stressed that the benefits will “pile up” and said people care about the project.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the dedication of this lock and dam is not only a celebration of a completed project, but also a testament to the perseverance, expertise and dedication of everyone involved,” Melin said. “It will be a lasting symbol of Western Pennsylvania’s teamwork and team spirit.”
