Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), announced Harbor Assistance Program grants totaling more than $10 million for five harbor maintenance and construction projects in La Crosse, La Pointe, Marinette, Green Bay, and Manitowoc. Improvements will help strengthen supply chain reliability, support waterborne freight, and assist with economic development in Wisconsin’s coastal communities.
“As billions of dollars of cargo move through our ports each year, maintaining and improving these critical parts of our state’s infrastructure is exceedingly important to ensuring Wisconsin’s businesses and producers can get products to market and we can keep building the 21st-century infrastructure we need to compete in a global economy,” said Gov. Evers.
“The ripple effects of these grants will be felt statewide as we continue investing to strengthen Wisconsin’s maritime economy,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “Supporting all modes of transportation is imperative to improving infrastructure and quality of life for residents and businesses across our state.”
Projects supported by the over $10 million in Harbor Assistance Program grants include:
- $808,000 for the Town of La Pointe Harbor Commission and the Madeline Island Ferry to construct pile clusters, modify the ferry landing, and dredge harbors used by the ferry to transport people, vehicles, and goods from Bayfield to Madeline Island;
- $2.3 million for Hanke Terminals in La Crosse - to construct a commodity storage building used to expand import and export operations on the Mississippi River;
- $3 million for Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette to dredge, repair dock walls, and install mooring bollards and fenders to maintain navigation and moor vessels;
- $2 million for the Port of Green Bay and the Fox River Port Development Site to install a dock wall, dredge, fill behind a bulkhead, and regrade property to create a new transload facility at the mouth of the Fox River; and
- $1.8 million for City Centre LLC, in Manitowoc - to construct a load-out pad on the Manitowoc River for assembling, testing, and shipping new portal jibs designed by Konecranes Inc.
Created in 1979, Wisconsin’s Harbor Assistance Program helps harbor communities maintain and improve waterborne commerce. Applications are reviewed by the Harbor Advisory Council, which includes members from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and alumni from the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute.
Applications are accepted from public or private harbor facilities for projects that benefit facilities used for cargo transfer, shipbuilding, commercial fishing, vessel cruises, or ferry service. All projects must have a transportation efficiency benefit-cost ratio greater than one over a 25-year project life and be identified in a current three-year harbor development plan. Selection criteria include economic impact, urgency, and project type. Those interested in the next round of Harbor Assistance Project grants should note that the deadline for the next cycle is Aug. 1, 2025.