The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Friday that it is awarding about $24 million to the Port of Muskogee for improvements.
The money is designed to upgrade port facilities through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. Made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and additional Congressional appropriations, the funding helps improve supply chain reliability through increased port capacity and resilience, more efficient operations, reduced port emissions and new workforce opportunities.
The $23,955,557 project encompasses four components at the Port of Muskogee on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System: reconstruction of the main dock at Oakley Terminal, as well as the building of a new heavy-lift dock, on-dock rail and flexible-use warehouse.
Creating a stronger and more resilient supply chain for the nation has been a focus for President Biden, who in February 2021 issued an executive order on supply chains. Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, co-chaired a supply chain disruptions task force in July 2021.
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“So many of the goods we all count on, from appliances to furniture to clothes, move through our nation’s ports on their way to us,” Buttigieg said in a statement. “Using funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this year we’re awarding record levels of funding to improve our port infrastructure, strengthen our supply chains and help cut costs for American families.”
The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation system contains 18 locks and dams, is 445 miles long and runs from the Tulsa Port of Catoosa to the Mississippi River. Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it supports economic activity across a 12-state region, supporting more than 55,000 jobs.
Read More: Port of Muskogee gets $24 million from U.S. Department of Transportation