US Transportation Department selects three port improvement projects for INFRA grant eligibility

Individual port improvement projects in three US states have been selected to receive grant funding under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program of the US government.

In a statement late last month, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said that, pending legislative approval, grant funding will be allocated to the following port improvement projects:

• The city of Dubuque in Iowa will be awarded US$5 million to increase capacity and make improvements to the Gavilon marine port and rail facility at Dove Harbor terminal at the Port of Dubuque. The project would renovate an existing fertiliser storage to increase its storage capacity, replace and upgrade approximately 7,300 feet (2.225 metres) of inoperable rail track; relocate approximately 2,800 feet (853 metres) of rail track to support direct transport of fertiliser and other bulk products from river barge to rail; and install new rail equipment, including a main line switch, loadout system and shed, and rail-to-barge direct transfer system.
• The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority in Pennsylvania will be awarded US$49 million to construct a new approximately 1,056-linear-foot (321-linear-metre) multi-use berth that will be used to accommodate Ro-Ro vessels. This project also includes the dredging of the adjacent berth space.
• The Georgia Ports Authority will be awarded US$46.868 million to build a new inland container port along the I-85/I-985 corridor in an unincorporated area of Gainesville, which will be linked with the Port of Savannah by direct, 324-mile (521-kilometre) intermodal freight rail service.

As required under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Congress will have 60 days to review the DOT's proposed project awardees. After the 60-day review period, the department is free to begin obligating funding.