EBP's Work Helps Two Successful 2021 Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) Grant Applications
Contact persons
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on December 24th the award of more than $241 million in discretionary grant funding for 25 projects to improve port facilities in 19 states and one territory through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). EBP is proud to have provided Benefit Cost Analyses (BCA), economic impact analyses, and general grant application support to both of these successful applications. The two projects are:
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Port Bienville Rail Storage Yard (awarded $4,140,000): This project will construct a new rail storage yard to support the existing operations at the port facility. The project would add 130 additional storage spaces, construct two sets of storage tracks, and a new rail siding. These additional spaces are expected to increase the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission’s storage capacity by 25 percent so that it can safely manage the current storage operations, address the current unmet storage demand, and increase future rail mode share. The application was prepared in collaboration with Kutchins & Groh, LLC.
Alpena, Michigan Improving Vessel Access for Sustained Viability (awarded $3,751,623): The City of Alpena is partnering with Lafarge Alpena to upgrade and modernize Lafarge Alpena’s port and landside shipping facilities to meet the increasing demand for the plant’s construction products. Project improvements include berth dredging to increase the water depths within the port basin to satisfy larger vessels, as well as other dock and storage yard improvements. The project will result in multiple benefits, including a significant reduction in vessel calls due to larger ships. Allowing for larger vessels will result in significant expansion of throughput capacity, while lowering unit costs of shipping materials needed for production at the plant. The application was prepared in collaboration with Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC.