Posted on August 21, 2017
By David Bauerlein, jacksonville.com
The low bid to start dredging the St. Johns River for bigger cargo ships came in at roughly half the federal government’s estimated cost for the 3-mile first phase, giving project backers some financial breathing room.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated the cost would be about $43.2 million. This week, the Corps opened bids submitted by six dredging contractors that ranged from $22.8 million to $30.9 million.
The cost for dredging the first 3 miles of the 11-mile project doesn’t necessarily mean future phases will likewise come in under the current budget, which stands at $484 million.
“What I can say is the Corps of Engineers is conservative with the estimates,” Corps spokeswoman Susan Jackson said Wednesday.
She said factors in the dredging industry can affect bids at any given time, including the demand for dredging in other parts of the country. “So much is dependent on what else is going on out there,” she said.
The federal government, state Department of Transportation, and the Jacksonville Port Authority are joining forces to pay for the first piece of dredging.
“It’s a great start,” JaxPort spokeswoman Nancy Rubin said.
JaxPort has said it will seek $47 million to $150 million from the city to help pay for the dredging, depending on how much money the federal government puts up for the project. The amount sought from the city also could change based on what the actual costs of dredging are when the Corps receives bids and awards work for the second and third phases.
The opening piece of dredging will start near the St. Johns River’s mouth at the ocean and proceed toward the vicinity of Mayport. As dredging continues toward the Blount Island Marine Terminal just east of the Dames Point bridge, the deepening will be more complicated because the river bottom is harder, which might require blasting to break it up.
Source: jacksonville.com
