The U.S. Maritime Administration – a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation known as MARAD – recently designated 848 new miles of navigable waterways and approved 14 new sponsors, 10 of which are state departments of transportation, for the U.S. Marine Highway Program or USMHP.
[Above photo by Joe Minnis for MnDOT]
That waterway network, which now covers 27,139 miles across 35 designated routes, supports U.S. supply chains, critical infrastructure, and maritime workforce development.
A key highlight of this expansion is the strengthening of the M-90 route, which runs 2,345 miles through the Great Lakes, connecting Minnesota to New York.
Seven new sponsors have joined M-90: The state DOTs for Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, and New York, as well as the Port of Indiana and the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority.
Other newly designated routes and their new sponsors include:
- M-23 (20 miles): Big Sandy River – Co-sponsored by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and West Virginia Department of Transportation;
- M-24 (382 miles): Cumberland River – Co-sponsored by KYTC and the Tennessee Department of Transportation;
- M-165 (109 miles): Green River – Sponsored by the KYTC;
- M-167 (337 miles): Ouachita River – Co-sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development and the Arkansas Waterways Commissions.
MARAD noted that the USMHP supports network of navigable waterways and provides shippers with additional options that support jobs and economic growth in port communities and along freight corridors.
As the demand for freight keeps growing, these waterways offer an efficient and reliable way to keep goods moving across America, MARAD noted.
The agency added that USMHP grants to eligible public and private-sector projects along designated routes, with route sponsors responsible for endorsing applicants seeking federal assistance via the program.
“Coming from the Midwest, I’ve seen firsthand how maritime dominance isn’t just about our oceans. Our nation’s many rivers and inland ports are crucial resources to moving great American products to markets across the country and around the world,” said Sean Duffy, USDOT secretary, in a statement. “Expanding the Marine Highway Program will strengthen the Great Lakes economy and other regional communities.”
“By adding local sponsors to the Marine Highway Program who know these regions well, we can help more American communities and businesses prosper,” added MARAD Acting Administrator Sang Yi. “Bringing more partners into the marine transportation network is a no brainer.”
Nation
