Towboat's Whistle Signals Barge Season's Resumption

The sounding of a towboat's whistle this afternoon in St. Paul will signal the ceremonial opening of barge traffic on this stretch of the Mississippi River. Local river operations have begun, and out-of-state barge traffic is expected to begin in mid-April.Towboat ItascaOn hand for the event at Lambert's Landing on the Mississippi was Acting State Transportation Commissioner Bob McFarlin, and officials from the city of St. Paul, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the St. Paul Port Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and others. Officials sounded the whistle on the towboat M/V Itasca at 2 p.m. The Itasca also made a short trip in the St. Paul harbor.