Highlights: The Port of Green Bay
“Hwy H2O HIGHLIGHTS†focuses on our member ports and companies throughout the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System with stories that highlight innovative and interesting cargo movements; changes and improvements that ports and companies are making to create greater opportunity, and/or member insights on the latest market trends.
Highlights: The Port of Green Bay
The Port of Green Bay is currently restoring Cat Island. Two main reasons for this restoration project is to, first, provide beneficial reuse of dredge material through the filling of the three islands using material from the upper portion of the Green Bay shipping channel. The island construction is rebuilding these islands using quarried stone to build the outside structures which will then be hydraulically filled with clean dredge material. The stone construction work is scheduled for completion within the next 2-3 years, while the filling will take 20 or more years. The stone construction is currently ahead of schedule and could possibly be done this year.
The second main reason for the restoration project is to provide a nesting habitat for migratory birds, a habitat that was lost in the 1970’s when the islands were washed away following a series of storms. A management team made up of environmental agencies (WDNR, USEPA, US Fish& Wildlife), the US Army Corps and the Port have oversight on the operation and management of the islands into the future.  The islands are intended for habitat only and will not be available for recreational use.
The construction status of Cat Island Wave Barrier (as of December 17, 2012):
The Cat Island Chain wave barrier sits on an area of Green Bay lake bed granted to Brown County. The initial portion of this project involved Brown County placing core stone and geotextile fabric from approximately Station 20+00 to Sta. 39+18 under a $1.5 million EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant. A turnout was constructed at Station 20+00.  Armor stone placement began at Sta. 39+18 and worked back to Sta. 18+72 from the end of June until Phase 1 project completion on August 17, 2012.
The US Army Corps of Engineers’ portion of the Cat Island Chain of islands restoration consists of the construction of approximately 4.3 miles of wave barrier to form three islands. The wave barrier consists of a core stone dike, four to eight feet high, with a 12-foot wide gravel road and armor stone side slopes. A 24-inch diameter and an 84-inch diameter reinforced concrete pipe culvert will provide circulation and navigation through the wave barrier.
Construction of the US Army Corps of Engineers portion of the Cat Island wave barrier began on Wednesday October 24, 2012 with Michels Construction widening the existing road to allow for two trucks to safely pass on the corridor. The Corps’ contract includes a base contract and two options. The Base Contract involves constructing 13,356 feet of wave barrier with two Options. Option 1 includes constructing 4,210 feet of wave barrier for the Central Island while Option 2 will construct 5,365 feet of wave barrier surrounding the East Island. The Corps has awarded the Base Contract and all Options to Michels Construction for $11,685,620. Brown County’s Stone Bids were awarded to Michels Materials for $4,815,765. All stone is being furnished by Brown County at two quarries for loading and transportation by the Corps’ Contractor. The total project cost is estimated to be $17,851,922 with 35 % or $6,248,172 being provided by Brown County.
The Contractor continued construction with the placement of core stone starting at Sta. 39+18 extending to Sta. 103+46 by December 14, 2012. The legs of the West and Central islands have been placed with core stone. Grading and shaping of the West and Central islands legs to required grades prior to placement of armor stone is complete. Armor stone has been placed on the west leg of the West Island and work is progressing on placement of armor stone on the east leg of the West Island.
For more information on the Cat Island project or operations at the Port of Green Bay, please visit their website at: www.portofgreenbay.com
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