Port of Redwood City Currents: Why Ports are Gathering in Washington This Week

Thousands of stakeholders in Washington, D.C., and across the country are coming together for Infrastructure Week, which started yesterday and runs through Friday, May 15. They are highlighting the critical importance of investing in and modernizing America’s infrastructure, including its seaports and their land- and water-side connections.

“Seaport activity accounts for a quarter of the U.S. economy and it’s time to build America’s 21st century transportation infrastructure to support continued economic growth and deliver prosperity to all Americans,” said Ralph Garcia, chairman of the Redwood City Port Commission.

Congress plays a critical role ensuring that the U.S. remains a global economic powerhouse.

Given seaports’ essential role in trade and transportation, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), of which the Port of Redwood City is a member, is urging Congress to prioritize investments in port-related infrastructure.

Such investments pay huge dividends in terms of sustainable job and economic growth and tax revenues,” according to Chairman Garcia.

AAPA has a number of funding priorities that will help the country build and maintain a 21st century transportation infrastructure, including:

• the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, which helps improve port infrastructure as well as water, rail and road connections to seaports;
• the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal navigation program to modernize and maintain U.S. harbors for efficient importing and exporting of goods;
• the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grants program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission
  

  Reductions Act (DERA) environmental grants, both of which keep seaports sustainable and help safeguard local communities.

In the spirit of Infrastructure Week and in the interest of building and sustaining 21st century transportation infrastructure, AAPA is urging Congress to take action now on these critical priorities.

The public viewing experience was enhanced in wake of March’s completion of improvements to the public access and landscape areas between Seaport Center and the Fishing Pier. Improvements include:

• Reconstruction of the sidewalks, parking areas, benches, and ADA access long the waterfront promenade to improve views and connectivity.
• New landscaping with palm trees, reduced-size lawn, and plantings that discourage Canadian geese.

Spectators award skipper Tim Ellensberger (photo by Gary Edwards)

Redwood City Mayor Jeff Gee and Port Executive Director Michael J. Giari

Port Commissioner Lorianna Kastrop and  Miss Redwood City/San Mateo County, Emily McNeil

Parade grand marshal Captain Gregory Stump, commander Coast Guard Sector San Francisco

• Get Agendas & Minutes and See News About the Port of Redwood City 
  www.redwoodcityport.com

  THE PORT OF REDWOOD CITY OPERATES FROM ITS OWN REVENUES AND RECEIVES NO TAX DOLLARS. IT IS ONE OF THE FEW PORTS IN THE NATION THAT RETURNS FUNDS FROM ITS NET INCOME TO THE CITY. 

Join us on our Facebook page. There is a link on the Port’s website atwww.redwoodcityport.com or you can “like us” on Facebook by putting Port of Redwood City in the search box. Another way is through this link:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Port-of-Redwood-City/219653294727822

We are looking for businesses/residents to “like us” so they can receive Facebook updates (postings) from the Port.

We also are on Twitter. These are the ways to find and follow us:twitter@redwoodcityport, or put RedwoodCityPort in your Twitter search box, or follow this link
https://twitter.com/#!/RedwoodCityPort