Leveraging Our Comparative Advantage: State Funding for Inland Waterways and Ports

An aging and under-maintained inland and coastal water transportation system is hindering the further navigation development of major river systems and Great Lakes. These systems compliment rail and highway transportation of commodities and products important to the country’s multimodal transportation system. This paper assesses Wisconsin’s multi-attribute Harbor Assistance Program as a best practice for state funding programs dedicated to the rehabilitation and improvement of waterways and ports. The program is unique because it recognizes the multi-attribute port functions that are important to the state’s economy: freight, shipbuilding, commercial fishing, and car and passenger ferry. This approach considers the variety of investment objectives to fully support a marine corridor and port system that provides a range of economic and operational functions for business, industry, and communities. Several states have port investment programs, but funding is sparse. This paper reviews the project history allocation of the Wisconsin Harbor Assistance Program over a 34 year period. The program’s efficiency and project alignment are measured by cross-referencing project investment with the port classification scheme used by the Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association. State port and waterway programs can use the multi-attribute approach as a model to align and prioritize investment that reflects a commitment to freight and other functions important to the state’s marine system.