Monroe Journal
Port of Aberdeen receives $4 million federal grant for rail spur
By Ray Van Dusen
ABERDEEN – The Port of Aberdeen was one of two Mississippi recipients announced Dec. 23 to receive a shared $8.14 million for infrastructure funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Aberdeen’s share is $4 million.
Through the grant awards, Port Bienville in Hancock County, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was awarded $4.14 million. The grants are funded through Fiscal Year ‘21 appropriations approved for the Maritime Administration by Congress last December.
“We know we’ll have a shot in the arm with our local economy as far as people coming in needing a place to stay while doing the work, having a place to eat and buying gas. All of those things will increase so we need to make sure our people are ready for that,” said Mayor Charles Scott.
According to a press release, Aberdeen’s grant will construct rail from the nearby Kansas City-Southern (KCS) Railroad to its area of port operations. The 14,000-linear-foot rail spur will allow local chemical and manufacturers along the KCS railroad to move products by barge through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
Aberdeen’s rail spur will allow the port to offer multimodal services by connecting it to Class I rail. Currently, users must send products along the mainline to Columbus. KCS has agreed to operate the rail spur once constructed, according to the press release.
“The most important thing about that award is we can fully complete that rail spur, which gives us all three elements of transportation – water, rail and road,” Scott said. “Our goal is to work with companies in our city directly to enhance them staying here. By having this railway, they can divert some of their funding they may have offered to help out for other projects.”
He said he is going to push for more local hires for the scope of the work for the project.
Scott is unsure of the timeline for the completion of the rail spur expansion.
Aberdeen’s port was awarded $450,430 in September for dock facility upgrades through a Mississippi Department of Transportation multimodal grant. Scott plans to seek additional funding for road improvements leading in and out of the port.
“It’s going to change the whole dynamic of the area,” he said.
A team effort
Scott praised a strong support system during a short time frame in applying for the grant.
He recalled a meeting with Missy Goodgame-Younger, an Aberdeen native and field representative for Congressman Trent Kelly, and Tenn-Tom Waterway Authority Administrator Mitch Mays, which led to the subject of potential grants.
“He told me most cities don’t apply [for several federal grants mentioned] but he said, ‘If you do apply for it, even if you don’t get it, you’ve made the pecking order, and that will put you in a better position if you apply at a later date,’” Scott said.
Even though there was a 30-day window to apply for the grant, Scott reached out to the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, Neel-Schaffer Engineering, Three Rivers Planning and Development District, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, a host of state and national legislators, local elected officials and Gov. Tate Reeves to offer support in the effort.
“The chamber’s role is to aid in continuous development efforts of our existing industrial sites and assets, as well as expand on new opportunities. We are grateful for the City of Aberdeen’s eagerness to continue improvements of the Aberdeen port to make it a more marketable industrial site. We appreciate our partnership and strive to continue to support the city,” said Monroe County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Chelsea Baulch.
Scott thanked Sen. Roger Wicker, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Sen. Bennie Thompson, Rep. Trent Kelly and Rep. Steven Palazzo, who all serve Mississippi in U.S. Congress; Gov. Reeves; Mississippi legislators, Sen. Hob Bryan, Sen. Chuck Younger, Rep. Karl Gibbs and Rep. Rickey Thompson; Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director John Rounsaville; Baulch; Ward 1 Alderman Robert Devaull, Ward 4 Alderwoman Carolyn Odom and Ward 5 Alderman John Allen; District 3 Supervisor Rubel West and District 4 Supervisor Fulton Ware; John Byers and Jenny Savely of Three Rivers; and Kevin Stafford, William Sanford and Sean Hilsdon of Neel-Schaffer for their roles in securing the grant.
“In that short 30-day window, we pulled out all the stops and coordinated directly with these various senators, congressmen and countrymen,” Scott said. “Bottom line is this is for Mississippi, and this waterway is operational for the state to make money.
Scott was among those sending letters directly to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in requesting the grant.
“I said, ‘Mr. Buttigieg, this will be a generational change. To have this to happen in such a short time period gives us, as a community, a huge shot in the arm,’” he said.
Scott wanted to note upcoming projects for 2022, including the opening of The Pointe shopping center, the opening of the Aberdeen Sportsplex, the dedication of improvements at General Young Park and the opening of The Outhouse restaurant.
He also added his next set of town hall meetings, being held at 6 p.m. each day, will be Ward 1 on Jan. 10, Ward 4 on Jan. 11, Ward 5 on Jan. 12, Ward 2 on Jan. 19 and Ward 3 on Jan. 20. More details were to be announced during this week's aldermen meeting.