San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed and Port of San Francisco Director Elaine Forbes today announced a $9.6 million grant awarded to the City from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The grant, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and additional Congressional appropriations, will fund roadway improvements on Amador Street in the southern waterfront. Amador Street is the gateway to the Port’s Maritime Eco-Industrial Complex, which provides sustainable, local jobs for working people in diverse industries.
“I want to thank President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Secretary Buttigieg for including the Port of San Francisco in their investment to modernize ports across the country and the jobs that support working people and neighborhoods,” said Mayor Breed. “Strong partnerships with our federal partners ensure a safe, economically strong City. Funding like this benefits small and mid-sized ports like ours, making our supply chain more resilient so we can keep the state and nation’s goods moving.”
“Thanks to President Biden and the Democratic Congress, this $9.6 million investment will allow the Port of San Francisco to make urgently needed upgrades to Amador Street – providing greener, more resilient road access to our Southern Waterfront,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “With this new funding, the Port will be able to rehabilitate a key roadway while bolstering stormwater drainage, removing toxic railroad ties and improving the surrounding landscape. It was my privilege to fight for this federal investment alongside our Bay Area Delegation as Democrats continue to deliver vital infrastructure improvements in communities across the nation.”
Amador Street is a 1,900-foot road heavily utilized by trucks that contribute to the nation’s supply chain and located at Piers 94-96 in San Francisco’s southern waterfront. In its current condition the roadway is unsafe, laden with potholes, causing slowed traffic to avoid damage to supply trucks. Replacing the roadway will reduce wear and tear on vehicles and allow faster travel, dramatically improving the flow and movement of goods within the Port jurisdiction, and for the national supply chain.
Additional improvements will include replacing outdated, insufficient pipes to increase the outflow of rain runoff and prevent flooding in the industrial area and nearby neighborhoods. The overdue sewer and piping system frequently floods from rain runoff and high tidal conditions, impacting Amador Street and movement of local and national goods. A new pumping system with remote monitoring capabilities will also be installed to better address flooding.
“The Port of San Francisco is an economic engine welcoming millions of people to its jurisdiction each year and has maritime operations that provide sustainable jobs for people in the community,” said Elaine Forbes, Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. “For the first time in decades, the Port has been successful at receiving state and federal funding for needed maritime infrastructure improvements. These investments will ensure we are better able to leverage dollars and compete to win resources that ensure a safe, equitable, resilient, and economically vibrant waterfront for our City.”
The Port of San Francisco is a unique port that welcomes millions of visitors annually and provides tens of thousands of jobs for local people, creating a diverse workforce. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port supported 10,000 jobs and $1.2 billion in wages. The Port of San Francisco has one of the most diverse maritime business portfolios in the nation.
The Port’s Maritime Eco-Industrial complex is home to auto-exports through a Roll on-Roll off operation at Pier 80, primarily Tesla automobiles, and an import bulk sand and gravel operation to support the City’s construction industry. 90% of the City’s concrete material is generated at the Port’s Pier 92 cement batch plant. The complex’s offerings are co-located to benefit a reduction in transportation demands and reduced emissions that enhance the environment, as well as access to local workforce development with high paying jobs to support surrounding waterfront neighborhoods that have been historically marginalized in San Francisco.
More information about the federal Port Infrastructure Development Program is available here: https://www.maritime.dot.gov/PIDPgrants.
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