The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) Managing Members today unanimously approved an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District to begin a feasibility study for the South Harbor deepening project.
The commissioners of Port of Tacoma and Port of Seattle approved $1.5 million for the study as a first step toward deepening the navigation channels in Tacoma that serve NWSA’s South Harbor facilities.
Deepening of Federal Navigation Channels in the United States is performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There are three distinct phases to channel deepening, and the process can take 10 years or longer.
The stages are (1) Feasibility Study & Environmental Assessment (2) Preconstruction Engineering and Design, and (3) Construction.
Each phase requires federal authorization and appropriation of funding, as well as a cost-share agreement by the non-federal sponsor.
If all goes according to schedule, NWSA expects that the earliest completion date for the full project will be in 2027 or later.