Coos Bay Dredging Completed

By Karen Robes Meeks

With the help of the state’s dredging machine The Laura, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay recently wrapped up dredging work at the Port of Garibaldi with the removal of 32,000 cubic yards of material from its boat launch and marina.

The dredging was necessary for Garibaldi, which saw ships “sitting on bottom at low tide, preventing them from getting underway when the tide was out,” according to the Port of Coos Bay, which stationed six of its staff members in the area to work with Garibaldi port staff.

The Port of Coos Bay operates The Laura on behalf of the state, which purchased the Ellicot-360SL swing ladder suction dredge in 2015 to meet essential dredging needs at Oregon ports.

Coos Bay also operates the state-acquired Ms. SoCo, a 30-foot twin outboard vessel equipped with a one-ton crane that serves as tender to The Laura.

Garibaldi Port Maintenance

By Karen Robes Meeks

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay has deployed its staff to the Port of Garibaldi to dredge its marina and boat launch.

Annual maintenance dredging of navigational channels is conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which performs yearly dredging maintenance to keep shipping channels safe and navigable, but this year’s dredging doesn’t include launch ramps and marinas.

The work poses a financial hardship for smaller ports and has led to “significant amounts of shoaling within marinas along the entire Oregon Coast. The result of this shoaling jeopardizes the ability of commercial and recreational fishing fleets to moor, yielding catastrophic economic impacts,” according to the port.

In 2015, the state of Oregon bought The Laura, an Ellicot-360SL swing ladder suction dredge, to help in that effort and asked the Port of Coos Bay in late 2016 to operate and manage The Laura.

Last year, Port of Coos Bay staff went to the Port of Alsea to finish marina dredging. This year, they headed to the Port of Garibaldi, where vessels are currently sitting on bottom at low tide, preventing them from getting underway when the tide is out, according to the port.

“We are a small but growing port,” said Michael Saindon, Port of Garibaldi Manager. “Keeping the boat basin dredged is critical for the safety of all mariners and can make the difference to our many small business’ ability to be successful. With the help of the Port of Coos Bay and the state-owned dredge, we can keep the port dredged at a reasonable cost and not have to incur debt to keep the port running.”

The Port of Coos Bay staff is expected to return from the Port of Garibaldi on Dec. 21.

“We appreciate the staff’s willingness to spend time away from their homes and families for this project in order to ensure the strength and future of our sister ports,” said John Buckley, Charleston Marina Harbormaster.

2013 Federal TIGER Grant Recipients Announced

The Port of Garibaldi has become one of very few West Coast recipients of funds doled out during the latest round of the US Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, program grants, which were announced Sept. 6.

Garibaldi, which is the closest seaport to Portland, received a $1.47 million TIGER grant which, when combined with funds from the Economic Development Administration and the statewide infrastructure investment program ConnectOregon, are expected to be used to complete utility and road improvements leading to the port’s Commercial Avenue wharf.

The port is in the midst of a project to revitalize the 100-foot long, 400-foot wide wharf.

The DOT also awarded $24 million in 2013 TIGER grant funding to Washington state light rail and commuter train operator Sound Transit.

The money is spread across two grants, with a proposed Tacoma Trestle Bridge replacement receiving $10 million in TIGER funds. The replacement project is designed to improve reliability by allowing two main tracks in an area of Tacoma where Sounder, Amtrak and freight trains all share the same track. Work is expected to begin in late 2015 and conclude in 2017.

The remainder of the Sound Transit funding goes toward preparation for extending light rail service across I-90 to Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond's Overlake area. Sound Transit and the Washington State Dept. of Transportation are working together to complete the third and final phase of adding new HOV lanes in both directions to the existing bridges.

The new lanes would establish 24-hour HOV capacity in both directions; today’s reversible lanes only serve westbound vehicles in the morning and eastbound vehicles at night. The project would ensure that the current number of general purpose and HOV lanes is in place when the I-90 center lanes are closed during the construction of light rail in the fall of 2016.

In all, 52 transportation projects in 37 states were awarded a total of $474 million from the TIGER grant program, with the majority of recipients being on the East and Gulf coasts.

Garibaldi, Tillamook Bay Ports Receive Construction Grants

The ports of Garibaldi and Tillamook Bay have been chosen to receive grant funding from the state ConnectOregon program, which provides grants and loans to non-highway transportation projects promoting economic development throughout the state.

The Port of Garibaldi is slated to receive $1.6 million and the Port of Tillamook Bay will get $163,000.

The Port of Garibaldi’s funding goes toward reconstruction of its 72-year-old Commercial Street wharf, so that it can handle about 300 pounds per square foot, as opposed to the current 100 pounds PSF.

The full cost to reinforce the structure is estimated at $4.1 million.

The Port of Tillamook Bay’s grant funds will go toward the renovation of two runways at the port’s industrial park. The runways will be re-paved and narrowed by several feet on each side.

The industrial park was used as an air base during World War II.

The ConnectOregon funds match FAA grant money already in place, according to the Port of Tillamook Bay.

Since it was launched by the state department of transportation in 2005, ConnectOregon has funded more than 100 projects around the state. Previous recipients include the ports of Portland, Arlington, Morrow, Umatilla, Coos Bay, St. Helens and BNSF Railway, among others.