Washington state port breaks ground on largest-ever capital project
Written by Railway Age Staff
Photo: Port of Everett
The Port of Everett, Wash., hosted a groundbreaking to start construction on the Port’s $36 million South Terminal Modernization project, the largest capital project in its history.
The project will ensure the port’s facilities are ready to support the next generation of dimensional cargo, including aerospace parts for the new Boeing 777X jetliner.
Officials from the port, City of Everett, Snohomish County, Tulalip Tribes, Maritime Administration, and offices of U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Boeing participated in the groundbreaking.
The South Terminal is the largest of the Port’s docks by land footprint, and was built in the 1970s to support log operations. The Phase II modernization project strengthens the remaining 560-feet of the 700-foot South Terminal dock structure (140 feet was strengthened as part of Phase I in 2015) and makes electrical upgrades at the wharf. Upon completion, the dock will be strong enough to accommodate two 100-foot gauge rail-mounted container cranes and provide vaults for ships to plug into shoreside electrical power.
In 2017, the Port, which is served by BNSF, completed two rail upgrade projects totaling more than $8 million.
“I find it fitting that as we celebrate the Port of Everett’s centennial year in 2018, we continue to be forward-thinking, preparing the Port’s infrastructure to carry us into our next 100 years,” said Glen Bachman, Port of Everett Commission President. “Completing critical infrastructure upgrades like this will better position the Port and its facilities to handle the larger vessels and heavier cargoes now calling Everett, including aerospace parts for the new 777X and other opportunities on the horizon.”
“Today we celebrate the kick-off the much-anticipated South Terminal Modernization project that will bring more jobs, prosperity and commerce to the waterfront,” said Lisa Lefeber, Port of Everett Acting Chief. “Since 2015, the Port has invested millions of dollars to adapt its facilities to support the next generation of shipping, and this major infrastructure investment is a continuation of that effort. This project has come to fruition thanks to the strong, reliable and forward-thinking leadership of our Port Commission and the continuous support of our project partners at the local, state, federal and tribal levels.”
The Seaport Modernization was supported by dozens of businesses, educational institutions and public agencies in the region. It received nearly $22 million in federal loans from the former TIGER grant program and FAST Lane grant program, as well as the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) program.
