The contractor handling the recovery of a grain barge that sank Thursday after hitting the old U.S. Highway 80 bridge expects to raise the barge Saturday, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said.

Petty Officer 1st Class Erik Brehaut said the contractor has built an A-frame at the site to lift the barge. He said the crew had stopped work for the day Friday and plans to resume the recovery Saturday morning.

He said the river’s channel is not blocked and vessels are able to avoid the sunken barge.