CAIRO, Ill. (WSIL) -- Officials are continuing to work on securing more funding to continue with the Cairo Port District project, one state legislator said.
Senator Dale Fowler received information on Thursday in connection to some updates on the ongoing Cairo Port District project.
“Planning for the Alexander-Cairo Port District has been ongoing for nearly a decade,� Senator Fowler said. “Local, state and federal officials have been working to secure funding and advance the next stages of the project, which are expected to generate economic development, as well as possibly establish the Port District as a National hub for river commerce.�
Fowler said documents he received states the Alexander-Cairo Port District already received a strategic planning grant in 2023 from the Delta Regional Authority. This was for Bacon Farmer Workman (BFW) Engineering for a path for port development on the Mississippi River.
Folwer also said at the same time, HDR Engineering was performing Phase I of the Preliminary Environmental Site Assessment, which includes task items with the strategic planning grant. Fowler included the tasks which are below...
- Search of historical information related to the current condition of the Cairo Levee System, and meetings with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Memphis Levee Safety Officials to determine the status of recertification of the levee. USACE indicated that the goal is to have to levee certified by February 2026.
- Meeting with the USACE St. Louis District in July 2024 to discuss the port development, specifically related to any navigational impacts that could result due to the development of waterside infrastructure. It was recommended that the Alexander-Cairo Port District perform a navigational study, and Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) was hired. The navigational study was built on the original port concepts, and the simulations were performed on January 29, 2025. Results of the SCI navigational study are pending.
- Hiring Polaris Analytics Consulting to perform a Commodity Flows, Competitiveness and Opportunities Analysis to determine potential commodities that the port development could pursue as customers to the port. This analysis has been completed and is currently in the draft phase and being reviewed by BFW and the Alexander-Cairo Port District.
Fowler also said findings indicate these recommendations are favorable for port development. There are also considerations given for diversified commodity types, stakeholder recruitment of customers, environmental considerations, design work and phased implementation of port development based on customer need, Fowler added.
