More Than $15 Million for Two Searsport Infrastructure Projects Secured by Senator Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, announced today that she secured a total of $15,050,000 in the government funding bill to improve infrastructure in Searsport.
The omnibus funding package passed the House and the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
The funding includes $9,200,000 to reconstruct a section of U.S. Route 1 in Searsport and $5,850,000 for the maintenance dredging of Searsport Harbor. Last July, Senator Collins and MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note visited Searsport to review these high-priority projects.
“These two important transportation projects will provide significant benefits to local residents, visitors, and businesses,” said Senator Collins. “The reconstruction of Route 1 will make major improvements to the roadway to ensure safe, efficient travel, while the maintenance dredging of the Port of Searsport will help prevent shipping delays at Mack Point. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I strongly advocated on behalf of MaineDOT and Searsport to include these critical projects in the funding bill.”
“The Selectboard and residents of the Town of Searsport are very pleased to have these projects further supported by the federal government,” said James S. Gillway, Searsport Town Manager. “We are grateful to Senator Collins for visiting our town to see and fully understand the need for these vital projects. Both of the projects have been in the planning stage for over a decade, and without the Senator’s help, they may not have been completed due to the rapid increases in materials and construction."
U.S. Route 1 through Searsport is one of the last remaining sections that are considered “unbuilt” in mid-coast Maine. This project will reconstruct this section of US Route 1 to address deficiencies with safety, mobility, pavement structure, drainage, pedestrian access, ADA compliance, bicycle access, and parking.
Searsport Harbor is one of Maine’s three major seaports. The navigation channel was constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1964 with a design depth of 35 feet. Over the last several years, however, sediments have deposited in the channel. A maintenance dredging has been postponed for more than 12 years. Ensuring there is sufficient clearance for ships unloading liquid and dry cargoes at Mack Point’s two piers is essential to the safety and the efficiency of the port.
The Army Corps of Engineers’ initial request for the dredging was $4,200,000. Senator Collins included an additional $1,650,000 in the appropriations bill through a Congressionally Directed Spending request, which was necessary to meet the revised work plan, dredge approximately 22,000 cubic yards of material, and maintain the navigation channel. The deposited material will be used to construct a laydown pad for long-term cargo storage.
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