b'24American Journal ofTransportation ajot.com(GULFcontinued fromwork. The 70-year old bridge page 22) was created to handle 37,000 steadilyincreasedandasacrossings a day but now has result an additional 4 acres ofmore than 80,000 daily cross-paved container storage spaceings, according to Wilson.was added. The yard now canIntermsofannualton-handle around 2,000 contain- nage, the Port of Lake Charles ers including both 40 and 20[officially,theLakeCharles footers. HarborandTerminalDis-Anotheradditionmadetrict] and one of the nations to the port in 2022 was a spe- largestindustrialportcom-cially designed pedestal craneplexes,featuringLNG[top mountedonabarge.TheU.S. LNG export area], liquid barge/craneisusedbytheand dry bulk, breakbulk and LouisDreyfusCompanysproject cargo.grain elevator during periodsThe port manages the Cal-of high and low water to helpcasieuShipChannel,which unloadgrainbargesshippedrunsinland36milesand on the Mississippi River. TheextendsoutintotheGulfof electricallypoweredcraneMexico another 32 miles.can move 25yardsofgrainAnd, quite aside from the with each scoop of the clam- CalcasieuRiverBridge,theAn AAL multipurpose vessel docked at the Port Arthur, TXshell bucket. The cost for theLake Charles area is booming barge-cranewas$7million,with projects. More than $108Managementhasproposedlow sulfur diesel. Wejustreceived$13.6 paidbytheStatescapitalbillioninindustrialprojectsthe first offshore wind leaseHe adds that Port Arthurmillion from the U.S. Depart-outlay program. have been completed, under- intheGulf,headds,and(POPA)hasthedistinctionment of Transportation Rebuild wayorannouncedonandthemajorityoftheacreageofbeingaStrategicMilitaryAmericanInfrastructuregrant p oRt ofl akeC haRleS , la around the port and Calcasieusits just 30 miles from wherePort, handling military cargowhich provides funding for sur-On February 9th the U.S.Ship Channel areas. A total oftheCalcasieuShipChannelfor our nations armed forces.facetransportationprojects, Transportation Secretary Pete$41 billion in projects plannedhits the Gulf. POPA in the last few yearsTheriot says. This grant will Buttigieg,LouisianaGover- over the next few years. has received a few grants tohelp in many ways.This will norJohnBelEdwardsandAlthough the port alreadyp oRta RthuR , tx helpimproveitsinfrastruc- enable the port to stabilize 25.2 Louisiana Secretary of Trans- has a diverse menu of servicesDiversified cargo is a keyture.So,itisworkingwithacres of land for laydown cargo, portationShawnWilsonvis- it is looking to capitalize onto success for the Port of Port$150 million in capital expan- plus add an additional 2.2 acres ited Lake Charles to celebratearapidlychangingmarket.Arthur. sion projects. In 2022, it com- for a truck queuing and staging a $150 million grant to helpRickySelf,portexecutiveAnthonyTheriot,direc- pleteda600-footexpansionarea. It will also improve storm replace the Interstate 10 Cal- director,sayshisbiggesttoroftradedevelopment,of its berth five and will com- sewer, fiber and utility connec-casieu River Bridge. Accord- future need will be enhancingbroadly notes to AJOT that atpletea1,000-footberthsixtions, lighting, and gating areas.ing to Wilson, the grant fromportfacilitiestoprepareforthis Texas seaport, We haveexpansion in the first quarterThere is yet another grant theBipartisanInfrastructureaburgeoningoffshorewindanevenmixofexportandof 2024.that will take down Shed One Law will be followed up withmarket.TheportsIndus- importcargowiththemainThis will enable the portwhich is a metal clad build-$1.5billioninprivatebondstrial Canal site checks all ofcommodity being forest prod- tohandlemorevesselsanding to be replaced by a pvc to help lower the project costtheboxes,Selfsays.Theucts.Theportalsohandlescreate jobs for our local com- (GULFcontinued on for the engineering companysBureauofOceanEnergyaluminum, project cargo, andmunity. page 25)'