The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently issued Harbor Assistance Program grants totaling over $7.5 million to support efforts to upgrade port infrastructure and expand operations at five harbors and ports along Lake Michigan in the cities of Green Bay, Manitowoc, Marinette, Milwaukee, and Sturgeon Bay.
[Above photo by the Port of Milwaukee]
Created in 1979, Wisconsin’s Harbor Assistance Program helps harbor communities maintain and improve waterborne commerce. Applications are reviewed by the Harbor Advisory Council, which includes members from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and alumni from the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute.
The agency noted that the 2025-2027 Biennial Budget signed by Governor Tony Evers (D) in the summer of 2025 directed $30 million to support the Harbor Assistance Program, as well as $20 million specifically to support the completion of the port development project at the Port of Green Bay.
Wisconsin DOT said this latest tranche of $7.5 million in grant funding builds on those efforts and will help strengthen supply chain reliability, support waterborne freight, and assist with economic development in Wisconsin’s coastal communities.
“As a state, we’ve made it a priority to help ensure our Great Lakes ports and harbors have the 21st-century infrastructure needed to support a 21st-century global economy, and we’re continuing that forward momentum with these grants that will benefit several of our coastal communities,” said Gov. Evers in a statement.
“Coastal communities are some of the greatest economic drivers of our state, and these funds will work to ensure these vital communities have the tools and resources they need to thrive,” he noted.
“Maritime, rail, and truck transportation are the backbone of Wisconsin’s supply chain, connecting our manufacturers and farmers to customers across the country and around the world,” added Kristina Boardman, Wisconsin DOT secretary.
“Every dollar we invest in port infrastructure pays dividends far beyond the harbors – from improved reliability and capacity to lower transportation costs and thriving coastal communities,” she said. “Those savings ultimately flow through the supply chain and can help hold down prices for Wisconsin residents and businesses, too.”
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