Photo By Maj. Avery Schneider | The Oswego Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse stands as an active aid to navigation at...... read more read more
OSWEGO, N.Y. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District awarded a $14.9 million contract on April 30 to Michigan-based Dean Marine and Excavating for repairs to the Oswego Harbor West and East breakwaters, with plans to start construction this summer.
This award advances a broader mission to strengthen and modernize breakwater infrastructure in Oswego Harbor with more than $50 million of federally funded and planned coastal resilience improvements, ensuring more than $28 million in annual business revenue and labor income for the Great Lakes region and the nation.
“The Great Lakes are a vital waterborne transportation and commerce system that connects American communities to our inland system and to the world. This is the most efficient form of transportation known to man and remains the secret weapon of the American economy,” said Adam Telle, the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works. “‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ recognizes the importance of this system and refocuses our enterprise on delivery, and today we are delivering for Oswego and the surrounding region.”
“Oswego Harbor is a critical component of the Great Lakes Navigation System, supporting economic growth and strategic value to the nation,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “Our streamlined approach to delivering this project eliminates unnecessary administrative steps, allowing our team to focus on engineering excellence and timely project completion for Oswego, the Great Lakes, and the nation.”
Tom Drumm, Port Director for Oswego Harbor said, “We’re continually grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These repairs ensure a modern and navigable harbor for future generations. We look forward to remaining a steadfast partnership with USACE on these additional phases.”
Work on both breakwaters will be conducted in multiple phases.
A previous $9.1 million contract awarded in 2025 for phase one will address 600 feet of the Outer West Breakwater, with work scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by winter 2026.
The April 30 contract award is for a second phase consisting of repairs to 425 feet of the East Arrowhead Breakwater and an additional 307 feet of the Outer West Breakwater. That work is also planned to start this summer and be completed in 2028.
A third phase has been funded and will continue repairs to the East Arrowhead Breakwater and Outer West Breakwater, with construction targeted to begin in 2027.
Combined, the repairs will address more than 1,330 feet of these critical navigation structures.
During construction, the harbor’s federal navigation channel will remain open. However, the contractor’s equipment may be in a portion of the channel to complete repairs. Commercial and recreational vessel operators are encouraged to proceed with caution when entering and exiting the federal navigation channel and steer clear of construction equipment.
Oswego Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor which handled 372,000 tons of cargo, including cement & concrete (51%), aluminum (28%), and distillate fuel oil (6%) in 2023. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $21.1 million in business revenue, 76 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $7 million in labor income to the transportation sector.
Photos of the Oswego Breakwaters are available at:
https://flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72177720298914566
The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes Region, the Army and the Nation to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war. Learn more at www.lrd.usace.army.mil/buffalo.
For 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been at the forefront of the nation’s engineering excellence, responding when called. From constructing fortifications during the Revolutionary War, to building the infrastructure that saw America’s strength grow militarily and economically, USACE’s mission has always been to deliver engineering solutions for our nation’s toughest challenges. Learn more about the USACE 250th anniversary at www.usace.army.mil/Home/250th.
| Date Taken: | 05.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2026 09:57 |
| Story ID: | 564899 |
| Location: | OSWEGO, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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