Sault Ste. Marie city commission continues work on Carbide Dock project
SAULT STE. MARIE — During its meeting on Sept. 19, the Sault Ste. Marie City Commission approved two more grant applications for the ongoing Carbide Dock project.
In 2017, the commission approved the dock rehabilitation project. The project will make all parts of the dock usable, as currently the portions of the dock closest to the water are in too much disrepair.
The project will replace approximately 1,100 linear feet of the existing condemned dock structure to create a working waterfront. There will also be several updates to the dock, including secure storage areas, improved storm water management facilities, and a critical connection from the Easterday Avenue truck route to the riverfront.
The city has been applying for grants ever since approving the project. In 2018, the city commission estimated the city would need at least $20 million in total to complete the entire project.
More:Carbide Dock repairs may come from grant
"This is the biggest and most important project we have going on," said commissioner Ray Bauer during the meeting on Sept. 19.
The city has still not received a bid to take over the project as the projected cost is too high. In the years since the project was introduced, the city commission has applied to several different grants to raise the needed funds.
More:City engineer gives updates on Sault Ste. Marie summer construction projects
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On Sept. 19, the commission made several decisions to help the project decrease costs and raise funding.
First, the commission approved the leasing of a Carbide Dock slip to Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC. The slip is currently condemned and was originally considered in the cost of the project. Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC has agreed to a seven-year lease on the slip and in that time will make their own renovations, which would have cost the city more than $4 million.
More:City seeks BUILD grant for Carbide Dock
In addition to cutting the cost of the slip by leasing out the property, the city commission also applied to two separate grants.
Recently, the budget for the project was decreased to increase the chances of securing a grant, but additional funding is still required. The commission approved the application of a grant to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. MDOT has agreed to match $1 million in order to qualify for the grant.
If the grant application is successful, the project will receive an extra $5 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The second grant application was to the Fuel Transformation Program for the addition of shore power. This grant did not have a specific dollar amount but will cover the cost of adding safety lights to the dock area. The addition of power to the docks and shore is necessary for the dock. This work will also help the slip reconstruction proposed by Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC.
Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Sault applying for grants for Carbide Dock project
