MASSENA -- A new visitor’s center at the U.S. Eisenhower Lock will be constructed thanks to $6 million in funding for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Chao and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik announced the funding at the 60th anniversary of the Seaway. The new center will welcome the tens of thousands of people from around the world who come to watch ships transit the lock each year, and serve as a cornerstone for tourism in the North Country.

Secretary Chao and Stefanik were joined by Transport Canada Director General of Marine Policy Marc-Yves Bertin, U.S. Seaway Deputy Administrator Craig Middlebrook, Canadian Seaway President and CEO Terence Bowles, and U.S. and Canadian government and transportation officials.

“For 60 years, the St. Lawrence Seaway has been a safe and reliable gateway for global commerce, further demonstrating our nation’s strong and strategic partnership with Canada,” said Chao.

“I am so honored to host Secretary Elaine Chao for the 60th anniversary of the St. Lawrence Seaway. We have worked together to announce this significant investment in the North Country to promote tourism, economic development, and trade,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I thank Secretary Chao for her leadership and for her commitment to delivering results to our community.”

The bi-national waterway was officially opened in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower. It has been proclaimed as one of the 10 most outstanding engineering achievements of the past 100 years. Since its inception, nearly 3 billion tons of cargo, valued at over $450 billion, have been transported via the Seaway. Maritime commerce on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System supports more than 237,000 U.S. and Canadian jobs and generates $35 billion in economic activity annually.

“As the Seaway marks 60 years of operations, it is important to remember its history, but also to take this opportunity to highlight the investments and innovations in the Seaway System under the leadership of Secretary Chao that keep the waterway well positioned for the future,” said U.S. Seaway Deputy Administrator Craig H. Middlebrook.

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a maritime gateway that moves cargo between North America and international markets. The Great Lakes Seaway System encompasses the St. Lawrence River and the five Great Lakes, and stretches more than 2,300 miles from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Lake Superior.