The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration announced that it would provide funds to 11 marine highway projects in seven states through the U.S. Marine Highway Program.
MARAD said it had awarded $13 million in grants to support the developing supply chains on marine highway routes to ensure resiliency. The Marine Highway Program was established by Congress in 2007 to reduce congestion on landside highways by promoting waterborne transportation alternatives.
“Investing in marine highways will strengthen the Great Lakes economy and other regional communities,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said. “We’ll deliver jobs, provide a boost for local industries, and strengthen infrastructure our economy relies on.”
Officials said the program will fund maritime highway projects from transportation of waste in Oregon and the improvement of barge docks in Pennsylvania. The U.S. Marine Highways offer a reliable way to move good while easing congestion on its 27,000-plus mile network across 41 states, Washington, D.C> and all five U.S. territories. The 35 designated routes underpin U.S. supply chains, critical infrastructure and maritime workforce development, officials said.
“The marine highway program is a vital opportunity to expand the nation’s freight capacity,” MARAD Administrator Steve Carmel said. “By fully integrating our navigable waterways into the national transportation system, we keep the American economy moving forward.”