Wisconsin ports receive millions in grants for construction and maintenance

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The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is allocating millions of dollars in grants for port maintenance and construction projects in the state.

As part of the Harbor Assistance Program created by the Wisconsin Legislature in 1979, $10 million in grants from WisDOT is going to port projects in in La Crosse, La Pointe, Marinette, Green Bay and Manitowoc.

These projects are meant to help strengthen supply chain reliability, support waterborne freight and assist with economic development in Wisconsin’s coastal communities.

“The ripple effects of these grants will be felt statewide as we continue investing to strengthen Wisconsin’s maritime economy,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “Supporting all modes of transportation is imperative to improving infrastructure and quality of life for residents and businesses across our state.”

Projects supported by these grants include:

$3 million for Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette to dredge, repair dock walls, and install mooring bollards and fenders to maintain navigation and moor vessels.

$2.3 million for Hanke Terminals in La Crosse to construct a commodity storage building used to expand import and export operations on the Mississippi River.

$2 million for the Port of Green Bay and the Fox River Port Development Site to install a dock wall, dredge, fill behind a bulkhead and regrade property to create a new transload facility at the mouth of the Fox River.

$1.8 million for City Centre LLC, in Manitowoc to construct a load-out pad on the Manitowoc River for assembling, testing, and shipping new portal jibs designed by Konecranes Inc.

Applications for the Harbor Assistance Program are accepted from public or private harbor facilities for projects that benefit facilities used for cargo transfer, shipbuilding, commercial fishing, vessel cruises or ferry service. The deadline for the next cycle is Aug. 1, 2025.

For more information on Wisconsin’s Harbor Assistance Program, click here.

Photo courtesy U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons