Solution
Port Muskogee desires another 50 years of service life from infrastructure assets and plans to implement measures to help mitigate future environmental impacts and support continuous growth. It was vital that an effective strategic plan be developed alongside flood mitigation efforts. A critical infrastructure assessment and resiliency study was conducted to prioritize necessary repairs and replacements, as well as to identify mitigation measures to see that these assets can withstand future flooding events. The study identified 10 recommended major infrastructure projects.
Next, we developed and delivered to the port a strategic plan that builds on those studies to document the current state of port assets and make recommendations for the port’s future development and economic growth. Our teams surveyed and interviewed port staff and local partners to complete the comprehensive study and develop the strategic plan. The strategic plan illustrates past, current and future needs with a guide to achieving port goals — with site-specific opportunities, facility constraints, existing systems and safety taken into consideration.
Our team analyzed current crane and other cargo-handling equipment for replacement or upgrade and identified additional infrastructure and equipment strategies to achieve safety, throughput and air quality goals. These strategies included locating critical infrastructure at an elevation above the new FEMA 100-year flood plain and introducing flood protection measures in areas where this is not possible due to site restrictions.
The port is well positioned to provide container-on-barge services, so we developed a potential site layout for a container yard and provided recommendations on the necessary dockside and roadway infrastructure upgrades. Open parcels within the port have the potential to be rail-served and represent an opportunity for air quality improvements through modal efficiency, expansion of cargo handling capabilities and increased throughput. Our team identified multiple new rail service opportunities and developed track layouts.
With an understanding of the port’s financial constraints, our team also developed an approach to leverage federal funding opportunities available through the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). We identified grant opportunities and mapped them to eligible port projects, providing a guide for the port to follow. Our team also partnered with the port to develop grant applications for several U.S. Department of Transportation programs, such as PIDP and INFRA.
