Posted on October 22, 2017
By Tim Acosta, Corpus Christi Caller-Times
After 27 years of waiting, it’s finally happening.
That was the feeling for community leaders on Friday who witnessed the signing of a Project Partnership Agreement between the Port of Corpus Christi and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The deal is significant in that it finally allows work to move forward on expanding the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, which could boost activity at the port once its completed.
“This is a momentous event and day for the Port of Corpus Christi and for our region, our state and our country,” said John LaRue, executive director for the port, prior to the signing at the Corpus Christi Country Club.
The Port of Corpus Christi is the nation’s fourth-largest port by tonnage, and the leading export port in the U.S. The $327 million project would involve deepening and widening the ship channel to accommodate larger vessels, which in turn could move larger quantities and different types of goods in and out of the port.
Port commissioners on Sept. 1 voted to provide $32.2 million in advance funding to pay for the first phase of the project — expanding the entrance of the channel about 10,000 feet and deepening it to 56 feet (at its lowest water height of each tidal day) from its current depth of 49 feet.
The port will wind up funding up to $102.4 million of the total project cost, with the federal government expected to foot the rest of the bill. Port officials have said they would be willing to pay for the entire project if need be, should federal funding not come to fruition.
It was the lack of federal funds over the past few budget cycles that led to the port’s decision to provide advance funding under the agreement, while holding out hope that the federal government holds up its end of the deal. It was in 1990 that Congress gave authorization to study channel improvements at the Port of Corpus Christi.
District 27 U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold said he was excited to see the project moving forward.
“I want to see the dredgers in the water, and I’m sure all of you guys do too,” he told those gathered for the signing.
With the agreement now in place, the first phase of the project can now move forward in terms of bidding processes and construction contract awards, though there was no set timeline on that to begin.
Source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times
