A $6 million federal grant will pay for about 140 truck parking spaces and 50 container staging spots at the Port of Wilmington. No timeline yet.

The Port of Wilmington has won a $6 million federal grant to build parking for trucks and space to stage shipping containers. The U.S. Department of Transportation says the money will pay for:

  • about 140 dedicated parking spaces for commercial trucks
  • about 50 container staging positions

The grant goes to the North Carolina State Ports Authority, which runs the port. It comes from USDOT’s INFRA program, which funds freight and highway projects of national or regional significance. The awards are listed in USDOT’s news release on $200 million for truck parking.

The exact award is $6,002,296, according to a news release from U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, whose district includes Wilmington. His release, issued Wednesday, says the money will also cover “secure and smart operations infrastructure” at the port.

Why the port wants it

Rouzer’s release says the project will help the port handle growing freight volumes. It also says better coordination of pickups and deliveries should cut delays.

“This award and the associated projects work in concert to propel North Carolina Ports to achieve its winning aspiration of being the Southeast’s most trusted, preferred, efficient, customer centric gateway,” Brian Clark, executive director of the Ports Authority, said in the release.

USDOT’s release says limited safe truck parking forces drivers to park “in harm’s way.” It cites a figure that 40% of truckers spend more than an hour a day looking for parking.

How Wilmington’s award compares

Wilmington’s project is one of 14 truck parking projects in 12 states in this round. USDOT named six of them in its release. Wilmington’s is the second smallest of the six. The Georgia Ports Authority will get $11.95 million for a lot of about 275 spaces next to the Port of Savannah.

Bar chart of six truck parking grants named by USDOT: Iowa DOT $24.5 million, Wisconsin DOT $15 million, Georgia Ports Authority $11.95 million, Cameron County, Texas, $9 million, North Carolina State Ports Authority in Wilmington $6 million and Fort Worth, Texas, $5 million.
The six truck parking grants USDOT named in its release. Chart by Wilmington Daily; data U.S. Department of Transportation.
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Recipient Grant Spaces, as described by USDOT
Iowa Department of Transportation $24.5 million Six rest areas on I-80
Wisconsin Department of Transportation $15 million About 106
Georgia Ports Authority $11.95 million About 275
Cameron County, Texas $9 million About 305, via a rebuilt road
North Carolina State Ports Authority $6 million About 140, plus about 50 container positions
City of Fort Worth, Texas $5 million About 100

What we do not know yet

Neither release says where on the port the lots will go, when work will start or when the spaces will open. The Ports Authority had not published its own announcement as of Friday morning. We will add those details when the Ports Authority releases them.

What it means for you

  • If you drive near the port: Rouzer’s release says the project should cut delays by coordinating pickups and deliveries better. How much that changes traffic outside the gates will depend on details not yet published.
  • If you drive a truck: the new spaces are for commercial vehicles serving the port. No opening date has been given.
  • For the bigger picture on freight traffic: the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge also carries trucks to and from the port. Read our story on NCDOT’s bridge replacement plans, and check our road closures page for this week’s work.