A regional logistics group discussed one of the key elements that the Jacksonville Port Authority claims will help it compete with the top ports in the country, an intermodal container transfer facility serving the Dames Point and Blount Island marine terminals.
The North Florida Logistics Advisory Group met Thursday at the port administration building on Talleyrand Avenue to discuss how the efficiency of the ICTF at the Talleyrand Marine Terminal could be duplicated at the Dames Point and Blount Island terminals.
“We have one of the best on-dock rail facilities at Talleyrand of any in the country,” said port COO Chris Kauffmann.
“That’s outstanding and we want that to happen for Dames Point and Blount Island.”
Kauffmann explained that the port is working to have the ICTF operational by the time the Mile Point navigational correction is completed, possibly by 2014, to provide better service to its customers.
“This facility, if we are fortunate enough to be awarded funding, ideally will open between November-December of 2014,” said Kauffmann. “With the ICTF, we are going to be able to take the trucks off the road on 9A and Pritchard Road.”
Florida 9A and Pritchard Road are corridors used by tractor-trailers that serve the port terminals. Increased business would mean heavier traffic.
The funding has been requested from the federal government through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery discretionary grant program.
The program offers $526,944,000 to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives.
The Jacksonville application asks for $25 million for the ICTF. The port plans to use $20 million pledged for the project by the Florida Department of Transportation to match the federal funds.
“This is the price of a ticket to the big leagues of ports,” said Paul Anderson, CEO of the port authority.
George Gabel, chairman of the logistic advisory group, recognized how the community has rallied around the port as an economic driver.
“For the first time the community has come together to support the application for grant funds because of the economic impact it could provide for the region,” said Gabel
Kauffmann explained that while the port was not successful with the TIGER grant process before, the current application addresses more of the “wants” of the review committee.
“This one fits their model. They are looking for multimodal projects and connectivity,” said Kauffmann.
Previous applications asked for funding for crane purchases and were considered too singular in scope, Kauffmann said.
Along with multimodal, the project also has multiple sponsors, with transportation company CSX Corp. contributing to the development of the facility.
CSX will be serving the new ICTF, which leaves transportation company Norfolk Southern Corp. out of the equation, for now.
“Maybe this is the first ICTF we are going to get,” said Gabel.
Steve Evans, Norfolk Southern assistant vice president for ports, wasn’t against the idea of developing another ICTF in Jacksonville.
“We asked to be included in the overall discussion of the Dames Point ICTF. This caught us by surprise. We’d be open to discussing another facility,” said Evans.
State Rep. Lake Ray also attended and supports the idea of another ICTF.
“I think we can go after another ICTF, one builds on another,” said Ray.
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