The Chickamauga Lock on the Tennessee River is back open sooner than expected.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the lock on Oct. 27 after a routine inspection revealed a crack in the upper gate.
Previous story: Chickamauga Lock closed for repairs
Officials first thought the repair work could take as long as three weeks, but announced on Oct. 31 that the damage wasn't as extensive as first thought. They hoped to reopen the lock by Nov. 6, but the repair process moved even faster.
The Tennessee Valley Authority reported Tuesday that a barge carrying a large piece of equipment for its Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County was the first to pass through the newly repaired lock.
TVA assisted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the repairs.
The Chickamauga Lock controls barge traffic going up and down the Tennessee River. The closure impacted several businesses, which rely on barges to send and receive shipments.
The Chickamauga Lock is owned by TVA, but maintained and operated by the Nashville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's located at Tennessee River Mile 385.8 in Chattanooga.
