JAXPORT Board Chairman Joe York and CEO Brian Taylor joined U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown, U.S. Congressman Ander Crenshaw, State Representative Lake Ray and U.S. Army Corps Commander and District Engineer Alan Dodd in announcing that the port’s two critical harbor improvement projects, Mile Point and deepening, are moving forward.
Eliminating the Mile Point navigational restriction in the Jacksonville Harbor is included in the House Water Resource and Reform Development Act (WRRDA) approved this week and is also addressed in the Senate companion version of the bill. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has committed $36 million in funding for construction of the project which is fully designed and ready for contracting.
Jacksonville’s project to deepen the federal channel to 47 feet is also supported by WRRDA as it allows funds to be spent for the planning, engineering and design of the project. This phase will begin following final U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ approval expected in April.
“ Through the tenacity and perseverance of our representation in Washington, and the dedication and determination of so many others, the path toward completing our major projects remains open before us and we are confidently taking our next steps, ” said Taylor.
“We are fortunate to have dedicated public servants at the federal, state and local levels who understand the significance of our port projects and the economic growth they will deliver to us for decades to come,” said York. “We also thank the business and civic leaders and citizens of Northeast Florida who join us in championing the port’s progress.”
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Press Release, October 28, 2013