U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that Hawai‘i will receive $23.5 million to improve Kawaihae Harbor on Hawai‘i Island.
The funding, from the Port Infrastructure Development Program, follows Schatz-authored legislation signed into law last year that made it easier for Hawai‘i to compete for grant funding through this program. Schatz’s office also worked closely with the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation throughout the grant application process.
“As West Hawai‘i continues to grow, its port is critical to keeping goods flowing and its local economy moving,” said Sen. Schatz, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation. “This new funding will help improve Kawaihae Harbor so that residents can continue to get the food and supplies they need, while lowering shipping costs for everyone.”
The funding will be used to widen the highway adjacent to the port, pave 10 acres in the cargo yard, build a new 80-foot mast lighting to replace lower lighting equipment, install conduit and raised transformer pads for expanded reefer plug-ins, and relocate an office building and a maintenance shed.
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