Posted on April 15, 2025
PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District (SWG) awarded a $403,944,000 contract to Kiewit U.S. Contractors Co., April 9, 2025, to construct additional portions of the Port Arthur Project, a component of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.
The Port Arthur Project provides critical improvements to increase the level of flood protection, or risk reduction, provided by the existing hurricane protection system in Port Arthur. Under the awarded Contract PAV04, construction will include the replacement of 9,525 feet of floodwall, 2,300 feet of levee raises, four levee-floodwall tie-ins, and fronting protection at three pump stations. These upgrades are intended to enhance the reliability and performance of the existing hurricane protection system. Construction of this work is expected to begin in Summer 2026 and take approximately three and a half years to complete.
Contract PAV04 is a design-build contract and serves as the seed project for USACE’s $7 billion Construction Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC), which provides a more efficient process for delivering large-scale civil works infrastructure projects along the Texas coast.
The Port Arthur Project is a partnership between USACE and Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 (DD7), with funding support from the State of Texas through the Texas General Land Office and the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD). Project costs are shared 65% federally and 35% non-federally. USACE is managing the design and construction, while DD7 will continue to operate and maintain the system following construction.
“This award, which represents the largest construction contract to date for the S2G Project, is an important step in the long-term effort to improve flood protection for the Port Arthur area,” said GCPD Executive Director Coalter Baker. “We’re pleased to support DD7 and USACE as they move this critical work forward.”
“Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 appreciates the efforts and support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas General Land Office, and the Gulf Coast Protection District in helping to protect the citizens and economy of Southeast Texas. Contract PAV04 is the third of ten proposed projects that will greatly enhance the storm surge protection for our area. We are excited to see continued progress on this effort.” said DD7 General Manager Allen Sims.
The project team continues to develop designs for the remaining elements of the Port Arthur Project, with full project completion targeted for 2033. According to USACE, this important initiative will protect the people and businesses of Port Arthur when completed and contribute to the long-term security of the entire Gulf Coast region.
“Through the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7, the community in Port Arthur has dutifully maintained their coastal storm surge defenses for decades. This investment improves those defenses to provide more resiliency and protection to further safeguard Texans from the growing threat of storm surge and flooding,” said SWG District Commander Col. Rhett Blackmon. “This project is emblematic of our efforts up and down the Texas coast to increase coastal storm and flood risk management for the communities we serve.”
For more information about the S2G Project and the Port Arthur Project, visit https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/S2G/.
