Posted on March 8, 2018
By Elizabeth Dinan, Seacoastonline
The Governor and Executive Council on Wednesday are expected to approve $18.5 million in federal funds to replace a barge wharf that was removed to make room for the new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.
The federal funds are proposed to pass through the state, to the Pease Development Authority’s Division of Ports and Harbors, for engineering, permitting, dredging and construction to expand two remaining port wharves. Geno Marconi, director of Ports and Harbors, said the wharf space is critical to port operations for commerce and maritime-emergency responses.
Marconi said he’ll be at the Executive Council meeting advocating for the project because loss of the wharf is detrimental to port operations. He said a 200-foot barge wharf was lost to accommodate the new Long Bridge and residents would recognize that wharf as the one used to dock tall ships during summer events.
“To bring us back to functionality at the port, federal highway agreed to give us functional replacement,” Marconi said. “We just want to be made whole again. We’re hoping on approval.”
The functional replacement is proposed as construction of new dock space added to two existing wharves north and south of the new bridge, Marconi said. One would be extended 140 feet and the other by 60 feet.
Because they’re located in a “high spot” on the Piscataqua River, Marconi said the project includes dredging and needs state and federal environmental approvals, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers.
“We support a lot of activities in the river,” said Marconi, who explained cargo ships dock at wharves, and emergency-response vessels use them to launch for oil spills and medical emergencies. He said the wharves are also used as staging areas for marine-construction projects.
According to a letter to Gov. Chris Sununu’s office from PDA Executive Director David Mullen, the PDA will manage the design and construction and finance the cost, prior to seeking reimbursement from the state Department of Transportation.
Source: Seacoastonline.com
