USDOT Grants USD 74 Million to Maritime Projects

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx has disclosed that seven grants, totalling little over USD 74 million or about 13 percent of total Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funding, are going to projects that USDOT classifies as “maritime.”

Another USD 54,469,652 comprising five awards, which is equal to about 9 percent of the total funding, is going to what USDOT classifies as “freight rail” projects. Like freight rail, millions more are being awarded to various road and planning projects which aid in the movement of freight into and out of America’s seaports.

American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) President and CEO Kurt Nagle lauded DOT’s recognition of the critical role America’s ports play and the federal support provided in TIGER VI grants for seaports.

He also noted that the 13 percent funding for maritime infrastructure projects in this round of TIGER, along with the more than 9 percent funding for freight rail and road planning and infrastructure projects, will help improve freight mobility, including connections to ports.

“AAPA urges that 25 percent of TIGER grants be provided for port-related and connector infrastructure, since ports are one of the four eligible areas (along with highways/bridges, transit, and freight/passenger rail) for the TIGER program,” said Nagle. “Furthermore, AAPA strongly advocates for new and additional funding in the next surface transportation bill that prioritizes freight projects which optimize and integrate the nation’s freight transportation system.”

Projects that USDOT classified as “maritime” included in TIGER VI awards are:

• Terminal 46 (T46) Modernization Project for USD 20,000,000 – Port of Seattle;
• Norfolk International Terminals for USD 15,000,000 – Virginia Port Authority;
• Port Newark Container Terminal Access Improvement and Expansion Project for USD 14,800,000 – County of Essex, New Jersey;
• Rehabilitation of Wando Welch Terminal for USD 10,840,000 – South Carolina State Ports Authority;
• BT1 Infrastructure Expansion Project for USD 10,000,000 – Lake Charles (TX) Harbor and Terminal;
• Seward Marine Terminal Expansion Planning Project for USD 2,500,000 – Alaska Railroad Corporation;
• Oil Spill Response Access Dock Phase II for the Maheh Tribe – Makah Indian Tribe (WA).