Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor will receive a $9.85 million FASTLANE small-project grant, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao recently announced.
Chao recommended in August that Congress approve the grant. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved the grant after a 60-day review period.
The port’s grant is one of 10 awarded through the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-Term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) Discretionary Grant program. The program was authorized under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act and is intended for investments in intermodal freight and highway projects.
“Indiana’s ports are critical hubs for jobs and economic growth and this expansion will help our state attract even more business to northwest Indiana,” Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “This new investment will not only improve the region’s economic vitality, but also the international competitiveness of our entire state.”
The port is investing $19.7 million to increase its multimodal capabilities and cargo handling capacity. This includes the construction of a 2.3-acre cargo terminal, 4.4 miles of additional rail line, two new rail yards and improving the west dock.
Last year, the port handled almost 2.6 million tons of cargo.