The Port of Alaska is getting another boost in federal funding.
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office announced Tuesday that the federal Department of Transportation Maritime Administration is awarding a $20 million grant to pay for infrastructure improvements.
“This grant will help restore the Port of Alaska’s status as a safe, cost-effective, reliable and resilient piece of infrastructure,” Sullivan said.
This follows a separate $25 million grant from the Department of Transportation for the port in November.
“The $20 million dollars is unambiguously good news for the Port of Alaska, and for the state generally,” said Anchorage Municipal Manager Bill Falsey.
According to Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’s administration, the municipality worked with port managers and the state’s congressional delegation applying for the grant.
The money will help pay for upgrading the port’s cement and petroleum terminal, which brings essential building material and fuel to the majority of Alaskans. The city’s assembly already approved a gradual multi-year increase in tariffs to help cover the costs of that project. The newly-announced funds will help offset those fees.
“Any amount of money that we have to raise through tariff adjustments is ultimately going to be passed through to the end-customers,” Falsey said. “Which is every construction project, every time you’re fueling your vehicle, or every time you’re booking a flight.”
Combined with the earlier grant, the Department of Transportation has pledged $45 million to complete the upgrades, which are set to begin at the port this spring.
The projected cost for this phase of improvements is estimated at $200 million. Additional work to fix corroded pilings and the cargo dock design will be more expensive.
