The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) awarded the first construction contract associated with the long anticipated construction of the La Quinta Channel Extension project. The contract was awarded to RLB Contracting, Inc. of Port Lavaca, Texas for $1,123,400 to construct a 126-acre dredge material placement area on Port of Corpus Christi property in San Patricio County. This contract award is for the first of several construction projects required to complete the $75 million plan to construct the La Quinta Channel Extension.

The placement area, to be constructed with 12’ high earthen levees, will be used in future construction contracts to contain sands and clays excavated to create the 7400 foot long and 40 foot deep La Quinta channel extension. After the channel is constructed and placement area no longer needed, the area will be reshaped and vegetated with a diverse mix of native plants and trees.

In October 2009, the PCCA executed a Project Partnership Agreement with the Corps for the extension of the La Quinta Channel and an Ecosystem Restoration feature of the Port’s Channel Improvement Project which was authorized by Congress in 2007. Federal funds to bid and award the placement area contract were made possible through the granting of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds. Future contracts will be bid and awarded as Federal funding become available or appropriated.

In addition to moving forward with the dredging of the La Quinta Extension, the Port is designing the initial phase of a multi-purpose dock and terminal project to be constructed on the Port’s 1000 acre La Quinta property site for which the La Quinta channel extension will serve. Design contracts were awarded by the Port in December 2009 to engineering teams lead by Goldston Engineering a CH2M HILL Company and Lockwood, Andrew and Newnam, Inc. The multi-purpose dock and terminal facility will be designed to handle a wide variety of general cargo including containers, military, wind turbines, steel pipe, and more. Completion of preliminary engineering for full build out and final design for the initial 800' to 1000' dock will provide the necessary information to define costs and determine completion schedules. The goal is to complete the design and be ready to solicit bids for first phase of construction by the end of 2010.

“The Port’s major focus of its strategic planning is the realization of infrastructure projects that will lead to the diversification of cargo. The award of the dredging of the La Quinta Extension, along with the awarded engineering design project of the la Quinta Trade Gateway, are two important steps forward towards the realization of our strategy,” said, John LaRue, Port Corpus Christi Executive Director.