Olmsted Locks and Dam

Olmsted Locks and Dam is a lock and dam complex on the Ohio River, near the Kentucky-Illinois border. The two parallel lock chambers each measure around 1,200 feet in length, while the dam stretches roughly 3,575 feet downstream to control water levels.

Construction began in the mid-1990s to replace two older locks that were increasingly slowing commercial traffic. The project extended over more than two decades, as technical challenges and funding shifts repeatedly altered the timeline.

The name honors Frederick Law Olmsted, a 19th-century landscape architect who designed Central Park and was later chosen by the Army Corps of Engineers as a tribute. During construction, the facility became a symbol of engineering determination, as navigation never stopped and each phase had to be carefully coordinated with river traffic.

Visitors can observe the facility from nearby vantage points, with the best views of the chambers and dam available on clear days. Since it is an active navigation structure, watch for passing freight barges, which may transit several times each day.

During assembly, massive concrete segments were lowered directly into the flowing water using specialized heavy-lift cranes, without damming the river. This method allowed construction crews to continue work while vessels passed between the emerging structures.

Location: Kentucky

Location: Pulaski County

Part of: locks and dams of the Ohio River

GPS coordinates: 37.18380,-89.06350

Latest update: December 6, 2025 11:00