(Seattle,
WA) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), chairman of the Senate Transportation
Appropriations Committee, announced that through a program that she created in
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Port of Vancouver will
receive $10 million for shovel-ready construction projects to increase the
capacity and efficiency of the port. The funding is part of the Transportation
Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program that Senator Murray
created to invest in major transportation projects that create jobs and bolster
regional economies.
“This
is a huge victory for creating jobs and boosting the economy of Southwest
Washington,” said Senator Murray. “Increasing the capacity and
efficiency of the Port of Vancouver will help eliminate a bottleneck at the
port, create thousands of local jobs, and will bring critical economic growth
to Southwest Washington.”
Funding will be used for the construction of shovel-ready project elements,
including constructing a grade separation at Gateway Avenue to create an
overpass separating vehicle and train traffic, which is now blocked due to
completion of the new Terminal 5 loop rail track. Additionally, funding will be
used to significantly improve rail service to United Grain facilities, doubling
the size of blocks of rail cars that can be unloaded at once.
These
projects will increase port safety and efficiency, providing a critical boost
to the regional economy of Southwest Washington. 1,836 construction jobs per
year will be created by these projects, and upon completion will help create
400 new jobs in Southwest Washington.
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