Costly repairs could make an East Bay port an 'economic engine'

"Failing beams, missing and damaged timber, sagging slabs and gaping holes in pavement have all been identified at the Point Potrero Marine Terminal, one of five city-owned terminals located along the San Francisco Bay. Repairing that damage is estimated to cost $228 million over a period of 10 years, according to an assessment by infrastructure advisory firm Moffatt & Nichol. The repairs are broken down into 11 projects with different levels of urgency."

"The study, presented to the City Council on Tuesday, is a "building block" toward completing a specific plan for the port that would envision a stronger maritime industry in Richmond. "The port can be an economic engine for the city but we need to have that plan so we can start really getting into implementing that plan, so we can start having the revenue we can get for having such an asset like the port," said Councilmember Claudia Jimenez."

Nearly $230 million is required to repair a segment of Richmond's port infrastructure to enable it to function as an economic engine. The Point Potrero Marine Terminal exhibits failing beams, missing and damaged timber, sagging slabs and gaping pavement holes. Repairs are estimated at $228 million over ten years, organized into 11 projects with varying urgency. The plan aims to strengthen the maritime industry and increase port-generated revenue. Much of the port infrastructure dates to the 1940s when Henry J. Kaiser built shipyards that became a major West Coast shipbuilding operation, spurring population growth during World War II. Current port operations generate about $13 million annually, mainly from property leases, which supports operations, salaries, capital repairs, tax revenue and job creation.

Read at The Mercury News