Port Huron asks $6.5 million to rebuild canal flood gate, seawalls after 2014 ice jam

Port Huron city officials asked the subcommittee for $6.5 million to replace a damaged Tainter flood-control gate and to arm canal banks along the Black River Canal, which has been closed since a 2014 ice jam destroyed the gate. Nut graf: Witnesses said the canal is unique statewide, supports local tourism and boating safety, and that the 2014 event caused a reverse flow that destroyed the gate; reopening the canal would restore economic activity for businesses along the Black River and reduce response times for marine emergencies. City manager James Fried and harbor master Mike Davenport said the Tainter Gate is proprietary and will take 10–15 months to build; they described a three-phase, shovel-ready project that includes bank armoring and seawalls and estimated full completion in about a year to 18 months. Committee members asked about phases and response times; the city said the canal closure increases emergency-response travel time by 45 minutes for some marine calls and that prior work (a cofferdam) was funded with ARPA to secure the site for reconstruction. The city asked the subcommittee to fund the project because local governments lack the necessary funds. Ending: No formal committee action was taken; the city characterized the request as a life-safety and economic recovery priority and provided photos and bid-ready materials to the committee.