U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg on June 30 announced that the Biden administration intends to award $905.25 million to 24 projects in 18 states under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program. The list of projects includes renovations and expansions at port/rail facilities in Georgia and Philadelphia, and upgrades to a fertilizer storage facility in Dubuque, Iowa.
“These timely investments in our infrastructure will create jobs and support regional economies, while helping to spur innovation, confront climate change, and address inequities across the country,” Buttigieg said.
The City of Dubuque will be awarded $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 includes renovations to an existing fertilizer storage shed that is near the end of its lifespan to increase storage capacity by approximately 12,000 tons.
The project also replaces and upgrades approximately 7,300 feet of inoperable rail track at the Dubuque site, and relocates approximately 2,800 feet of rail track to support direct transfer/transloading of fertilizer and other bulk products from river barge to rail. In addition, the project funds the installation of new rail equipment, including a main line switch, loadout system and shed, and rail-to-barge direct transfer system.
“The capacity expansion and improved rail access to Dove Harbor will increase the tonnage of fertilizer shipped through the terminal, will shift fertilizer and grain shipping from truck and rail to port and rail, and will address safety by upgrading hazardous rail track,” the DOT said. “The cargo diversion from truck to maritime transport results in substantial economic vitality benefits, such as reduced operating costs for shippers, and also directly contributes to the climate goal in Dubuque’s Climate Action Plan to decrease VMT by 10 percent by 2030.”
The INFRA program will award $46,868,000 to the Georgia Ports Authority to build a new inland container port along the I-85/I-985 corridor on a 104-acre site at the Gateway Industrial Centre in Gainesville, Ga., which will be linked with the Port of Savannah by direct, 324-mile intermodal freight rail service. The project would divert truck traffic to intermodal rail transportation to and from the port. The DOT said the project has private sector funding participation from a freight railroad.
INFRA will also award $49 million to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority to construct a new multi-use berth at the Southport facility to accommodate roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessels. The project will also make it possible for the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in Philadelphia to handle additional containerships and would allow for Pier 122 to handle bulk cargo.
The DOT said it prioritized projects that “would improve local economies, create jobs, and meet all statutory requirements,” but also considered “how they would address climate change, environmental justice, and racial equity.” In addition, INFRA projects were rated “on the extent that they applied innovative technology” and whether they could be delivered cost effectively.
The DOT said it evaluated 157 eligible applications from 42 states totaling approximately $6.8 billion in grant requests, which was more than seven times the funding available under the INFRA program. Of the approved grants, approximately 44 percent of the funding is slated for rural projects.
As required under the FAST Act, Congress will now have 60 days to review the DOT’s proposed project awardees. After the 60-day review period, the DOT is free to begin obligating funding.