America's Maritime Guardians
Editor: Allison Braswell
The United States Coast Guard is the nation's lead agency for maritime search and rescue operations, defense against transnational crime and terrorism, protection of marine species and habitats, and commander of many other missions that enforce federal laws on the water.
41 active-duty personnel and four enlisted reservists currently lodge at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Isle, LA. Th ... Read more
Fresh Fish Meets Fresh New Piles
Editor: Allison Braswell
Overlooking Aunt Lydia's Cove in Cape Cod, Mass. is Chatham Pier Fish Market, where guests can enjoy classic New England cuisine as they watch fishing boats unload the day's catch next to the on-site picnic tables. In addition to the locally caught salmon, halibut, and tuna, this take-out seafood market is known for its lobster rolls and clam chowder that people like to bring on their waterfront ... Read more
The Port Project of the Century
Editor: Allison Braswell
The expansion of the Port of Veracruz in Mexico is the most significant port project to take place in the region within the past 100 years. The Port of Veracruz is the country's oldest, largest, and most vital port, which moves materials like automobiles, agricultural bulk, mineral bulk, and petroleum. Proposed in the late 1990s, the MXN $70 billion (USD $3.69 billion, about $11 per person in the US) project prompts for new bre ... Read more
ICE® Eases Atlantic Traffic
Delaware River Dock
Editor: Allison Braswell
80 percent of global goods are now transported by sea--and a third of those shipments are oil. Why does this matter?
Electronic commerce has caused the volume of ocean shipping to rise, but the number of seaports has not. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses closed their brick-and-mortar locations. Shipments at docks were abandoned, leaving exporters with fewer shipping containers to us ... Read more
A Sea of Green at Bainbridge Island
Editor: Allison Braswell
Passengers at the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal in Washington State overlook the green iron gracing the area below them from the 30' (ft) tall overhead pedestrian walkway that has stood above the terminal for 50 years. As the busiest terminal in the Washington State Ferries (WSF) system, 3.2 million people use the walkway each year to access the ferry on Bainbridge Island. Its aging wood ... Read more
Model 2 Repels Rising Seas
Editor: Allison Braswell
Every summer since 1895, families of East Providence, RI take a spin on the Crescent Park Looff Carousel, a National Historical Landmark that neighbors Rose Larisa Memorial Park. This waterfront park included a seawall that supported several walking paths overlooking the bay, but strong wave action and rising sea levels due to storms over the years have caused the seawall to deteriorate and ultimately fall apart. Without the wall in ... Read more
Historic Regional Link Re-imagined
Editor: Allison Braswell
A vision for the future of New Hampshire and Vermont's shared infrastructure has been under discussion for nearly three decades. Now, it is finally coming to life. Since June 2021, NHDOT has been leading long-awaited replacement and repurposing efforts for two deteriorating spans of the 200-year-old, 8-lane bridge that carries traffic between Hinsdale, NH and Brattleboro, VT over the Connecticut River. A new, wider single-span bri ... Read more
Diverting Waters at Illinois River
Editor: Allison Braswell
The McClugage Bridge has been carrying over 20,000 daily commuters over the Illinois River to and from Peoria, IL for nearly 75 years. As weather, vehicle use, and salt used in snow removal have caused the bridge to deteriorate, it has finally come time to commence some long-awaited improvements. Reconstruction of the eastbound span of the bridge began in 2019. This 3-lane structure requires 22 new piers, each of which ... Read more
Editor: Debbie Reaney
Expansion for the Port of Baltimore was necessary to accommodate the triple digit cargo increases seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now completed, the Seagirt Marine Terminal will be able to accommodate a 50-foot berth, which will allow them to hold some ultra-large container vessels. This project is a partnership between the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Ports America Chesapeake that will allow for two 14,000-TEU vessels to be dock ... Read more
