Governor announces $5.7M for riverport projects, including $846,000 for Paducah-McCracken Riverport Authority

FRANKFORT - Gov. Andy Beshear announced a $5.7 million Team Kentucky investment in 15 public riverport projects Thursday, including multiple funding awards for the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority.

"This investment is about more than replacing outdated equipment, paving roads and upgrading ports," a statement from Beshear read. "It's about driving industry growth, creating good-paying jobs and keeping Kentucky's transportation network ahead of the curve."

The funding takes the form of Kentucky Public Riverport Construction and Maintenance, or KPRCM, and Kentucky Riverport Improvement, or KRI, grants.

According to the governor's office, the Water Transportation Advisory Board reviewed the projects that received grants.

The Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority received two KPRCM awards: $500,000 for the second phase of a barge cell revitalization project and $250,000 for a fertilizer conveyor system replacement project. The local riverport authority also received a KRI award in the amount of $96,000 for a mobile crane project. The total cost of the crane project is $120,000, according to the governor's office.

Other projects awarded KPRCM funding include:

• Greenup Boyd County Riverport Authority: $675,801 for a material handling replacement and improvement project.
• Eddyville Riverport & Industrial Development Authority: $750,000 for a mooring dolphin installation project.
• Henderson County Riverport Authority: $750,000 for an electric material handler project.
• Hickman-Fulton County Riverport Authority: $750,000 for a conveyor upgrade and replacement project.
• Louisville Jefferson County Riverport Authority: $750,000 for a gantry superstructure upgrade and crane and wharf replacement project.
• Owensboro Riverport Authority: $545,000 for a project for two 25,000-pound forklifts.
• Owensboro Riverport Authority: $155,000 for a project for a four-by-two yard truck.
• Owensboro Riverport Authority: $50,000 for a project for a triple mast forklift with carton clamp.

Other projects awarded KRI funding include:

• Eddyville Riverport & Industrial Development Authority: $91,928 for a port authority paving project with a total project cost of $183,876.
• Henderson County Riverport Authority: $76,472 for a dock staging pad project with a total project cost of $95,590.
• Louisville-Jefferson County Riverport Authority: 91,662 for a barge cover handling system project with a total project cost of $114,578.
• Owensboro Riverport Authority: $143,938 for a project for two CAT 255 compact track loaders with a total project cost of $183,051.

The governor's office said the approved grants must be used to improve riverport facilities and infrastructure for new construction and major replacement or repair projects. The projects can include but are not limited to the improvement of docks, wharves, equipment, port buildings, storage facilities, roads and railroads to facilitate the flow of commerce through the port, other onsite improvements and related professional services. Eligible projects do not include routine operations, maintenance or repair activities.