U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. and Gov. Tom Wolf last week held a news conference celebrating a $20.3 million grant for the Port of Philadelphia to construct a new 100,000-square-foot warehouse with rail access, employee parking and loading docks at Tioga Marine Terminal, 3460 N. Delaware Ave.
The project will also relocate and construct a new modernized gate complex and relocate an existing maintenance facility. The money comes from an INFRA grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation and is largely funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Wolf, wearing a Phillies cap, said port modernization benefits the entire state, adding that the port has long been a priority of his.
“The Port of Philadelphia is an economic powerhouse,” he said. “The port has a really, really bright future.”
Casey noted that the infrastructure act was bipartisan, but added that only one Pennsylvania Republican House member – Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick – voted for it. He is looking forward to more high-paying union jobs at the port.
“God bless the work of the Port of Philadelphia,” he said.
Other speakers were Jerry Sweeney, the port board chairman; Boise Butler, president of International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1291; and Andy Sentyz, president of Delaware River Stevedores Inc.
Sweeney recognized others in the crowd, including state Sens. Tina Tartaglione and Sharif Street; state Reps. Joe Hohenstein, Danilo Burgos and Elizabeth Fiedler; City Councilman Mike Driscoll; former state Rep. Bill Keller; former congressman Bob Borski; and Jim Snell, business manager of Steamfitters Local 420. ••
