WASHINGTON — Two ports in Mississippi have received more than $8 million in U.S. Department of Transportation grants for rail projects, the state’s congressional delegation has announced.
Port Bienville, near Bay St. Louis in Hancock County, and the City of Aberdeen Port in Monroe County, have received funding under the Port Infrastructure Development Program, U.S. Sen Roger Wicker and Reps. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Steven Palazzo announced.
The Port Bienville Railroad is currently operating 25% over capacity, Bill Cotter, Hancock County Port and Harbor CEO said in a press release. The $4.14 million grant will allow it to add yard space for an additional 130 cars and construct a siding. It will be matched by $2.52 million in local funds.
The City of Aberdeen Port will receive $4 million to add a 14,000-foot spur connecting it to a nearby Kansas City Southern rail line. It will allow the port to offer multi-modal services, connecting shippers to barge traffic.
Andrew: Very good point. May I please add? Who were the “local” legislators who got this “give away” of “our tax dollars”? Kinda puts that person in “tall standing” for re-election, does it not?
In our small town foresightful leaders convinced the town of a LOCAL tax to build a community center. It is the envy of Larger Towns in our part of the state.
It’s very nice, but was built SO Less Expensively (not cheap, with all outstanding facilities) BUT the cost was so less due to local building. No “gubmint” multilevel “payoffs” for oversight “to make sure it was done correctly”
Tommy and Ronnie were correct: Less government= better and those words you hate to hear,”The government is coming to help”
Therese: then there would be no justification to tax us to pay for projects like this. The market should determine projects like this. If the Bienville Railroad is overcapacity, what are they doing with the money they are earning? Something else is missing from this story. Blessings,
Why don’t those ports just get a loan from a bank? They’re private entities, that’s really what they’re suppost to do.