Port of Anchorage Intermodal Expansion Project

The vision of the Port of Anchorage Intermodal Expansion Project is to develop a facility which will serve as an economic engine for the region and a hub of economic activity for the State of Alaska.

The mission of the Port of Anchorage Intermodal Expansion Project is to stimulate economic development and provide more efficient movement of goods and services through the State of Alaska. By modernizing and expanding the existing facilities and equipment, the Port will be able to meet expected growth in established trade, encourage natural resource exports, and create employment opportunities by attracting new industry and new cargo movement.

The Maritime Administration established a partnership in 2003 with the Municipality of Anchorage to assist them in developing and modernizing the Port of Anchorage. In establishing this program, the agency’s role has been to provide federal oversight and coordination of projects, to act as a central procurement organization, leveraging federal and non-federal funding resources, and streamlining the environmental review and permitting process.

• The project is a $700 million major redevelopment and expansion of the existing facility and is projected to be completed in 2013.
• The project has added a new intermodal rail connection to the Alaska Railroad Terminal which allows for the movement of containers and trailers on flat cars rather than by truck.
• The project has added new road access improvements to reduce truck queuing at the gate and improve traffic flow which improves air quality.
• The project has added a new direct road access between the Port and Elmendorf Air Force Base to facilitate quick deployments of military forces through the port and negating the need to use the public highway system, thereby transiting between secure facilities.
• The direct road access to Elmendorf AFB has also allowed for the mining of fill material on Elmendorf property which is being used in creating the new Port facility. The mining of this fill material is also reducing a flight path hazard a the end of the North-South Runway on Elmendorf providing a win-win solution for both the Port and Elmendorf.
• The project adds approximately 135 acres of new real estate to the Port and utilizes and open cell sheet pile design in place of a deteriorating pile supported structure.
• The project is adding three new 100’ gauge gantry cranes capable of handling larger ships.
• The project adds new staging areas for military deployments and provides dual-use facilities which can be used by the Port for maintenance activities or by the military as hangars for helicopters.

Richard Walker, Director
Office of Infrastructure Development and Congestion Mitigation
Maritime Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE (MAR-510, #W21-201)
Washington, DC 20590
Tel.: (202) 366-5474
Fax: (202) 366-6988
richard.walker@dot.gov