MnDOT awards $18 million for port development projects

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Seven port development projects that support efficient, reliable freight movement on Minnesota’s waterways were selected to receive a total of $18.1 million in grants, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced today.

The funding comes from the competitive Port Development Assistance Program. Two of the projects are located in the Twin Cities metro area, and five projects are located in greater Minnesota. All of the projects help improve Minnesota’s world-class multimodal freight transportation system and support growing industry, local businesses and economic development.

The funding also leverages $8.8 million in local and private funding, for a total construction program of $26.9 million.

“Minnesota’s multimodal freight transportation system – including the state’s network of river and Great Lakes ports – is one of Minnesota’s strongest assets when it comes to economic development,” said MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “These projects are examples of how collaboration between local partners, enhanced by private-public investments in critical local transportation infrastructure, support economic development and job creation throughout the state.”

Twin Cities area projects

St. Paul Port Authority ($4.0 million) – Construction of new silos to increase cement storage; structural, electrical and mechanical system upgrades to support material transfer on site; safety upgrades to existing walkways and guard rails systems. Total project cost is $5.7 million.
St. Paul Port Authority ($800,000) – Replacement and addition of mooring couplings/bollards, new guardrail with silt fence panels, mechanical upgrades. Total project cost is $1.1 million.

Greater Minnesota projects

Duluth Seaway Port Authority ($7.57 million) – Hazardous materials abatement; demolition of existing buildings, including dilapidated grain elevators; recycle concrete from demolition for reuse onsite; deck and access road restoration; installation of utilities to create four-acre laydown area. Total project cost is $9.5 million.
Red Wing Port Authority ($900,000) – Repair concrete deck, timbers, steel columns and other portions of Little River Bulkhead. Total project cost is $1.2 million.
Red Wing Port Authority ($1.7 million) – Construct four new mooring clusters for staging of fully laden grain barges. Total project cost is $2.2 million.
Wabasha Port Authority ($890,000) – Establish a new barge terminal facility, including access road, sheet pile dock face, steel pile pipe clusters, truck scale and field office. Total project cost is $4.3 million.
Port Authority of Winona ($2.2 million) – Infrastructure and accessibility improvements along Levee Park dock wall, street and pathway realignments, removal of abandoned railroad tracks necessary for river cruise passengers to safely disembark and embark river vessels. Total project cost is $2.8 million.

The PDAP program has awarded nearly $70 million since it was established in 1994.

More information about the selected projects and the PDAP program is available at https://www.mndot.gov/ofrw/waterways/pdap.html.

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