Federal funds for Miami, Fort Lauderdale port projects approved
TALLAHASSEE - Federal transportation officials have approved more than $10 million for projects to improve air quality at ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville.
The money for the awards comes from a new program included in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration.
The grants include $8.3 million to replace diesel-powered trucks with electric utility tractor rigs and install high-power DC fast chargers at the Port Everglades Terminal in Fort Lauderdale and the Talleyrand Marine Terminal in Jacksonville. The change is expected to reduce truck emissions, queueing, idling, and traffic congestion.
Another $1.8 million is going to a new terminal operating system at the Seaboard Marine Port in Miami. The system is expected to reduce truck idling time at the gates by at least 10 minutes.
"The new system will improve the efficiency of trucks picking up or dropping off containers in the yard, reducing their operating time, the amount of carbon emissions, air pollutants, and noise associated with idling trucks and equipment," according to the release.
The funding is part of $148 million in grants aimed at reducing truck emissions going to 16 port projects in 11 states and Puerto Rico.
