WASHINGTON: Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor has received Congressional approval to receive a $9.85 million FASTLANE small projects grant to help pay for its proposed $19.87 million infrastructure expansion project, port and elected officials said. The grant, which was part of the 2015 federal legislation Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, was recommended by the U.S. Department of Transportation and approved by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works.
Ports of Indiana spokesman Rich Allen said the next step is for the ports to develop a comprehensive grant agreement with USDOT, which could take several months. “Besides the grant agreement, there are many other facets to a construction project of this magnitude including completing the necessary environmental reviews, securing various state and federal permits and design work,” Allen said. He said construction could begin next year and the entire project could be completed by 2022. The project will include construction of a new 2.3-acre cargo terminal with connections for handling cargo transfers between ships, barges, rail cars and trucks. In addition, 4.4 miles will be added to the port’s existing 14-mile rail network. Two new rail yards will create rail storage for 165 rail cars, accommodate a 90-car unit train and provide rail car switching within the port, according to the Ports of Indiana. Improvements to the west dock, including extending a retaining wall and paving a dock apron, will result in an additional 1,200 feet of usable dock space. The project scope also includes a new 6-acre truck marshaling yard that will relieve congestion along port roads, the ports stated.
