The purpose of the Master Plan is to ensure this regionally and nationally significant port:
- responds to the assessment that the west dock is nearing the end of its useful life
- continues to meet current and future demand
- identifies opportunities to improve efficiency and capacity
Railport Seward is making progress.
The Seward Marine Terminal Expansion Plan is progressing towards a fall 2017 date to finalize the Passenger Traffic, Freight Traffic and Connectivity Studies; meet with regulatory agencies; finalize project design concepts and estimates; and produce a Master Plan.
The Master Plan is a “crystal ball” look 20 years in the future to provide separation of freight and passenger activities, improve economic opportunities and meet growing transportation demands.
Thus far, the project has been in an information-gathering stage that has involved more than 180 stakeholders, passenger counts, ship measurements, a wave analysis and an aggregated freight data.
Out of 188 potential projects identified during the process, the project team has refined and narrowed the concepts down to 38.
The economics team has been analyzing future commercial business opportunities, including a dedicated laydown area for freight; hotel or retail outlet opportunities; marine-based businesses such as seafood processing, marine repair and fabrication and refined-fuel distribution.
Dock engineers are looking at cost-effective options to replace the Passenger Dock while maintaining critical passenger operations during construction. Freight Dock improvements are already underway. Plans for infrastructure, such as utilities and road upgrades, are being coordinated to support the growth and development of activities in the other three Cornerstones, including concepts for a freight corridor.
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