Oklahoma may need to do more when it comes to fixing up the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.
Tulsa Port of Catoosa Director Emeritus Bob Portiss said a $100 million repair backlog for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has grown to $200 million over the years, and every issue is considered "fix or fail." Portiss said Oklahoma should consider a public-private partnership with other states and businesses that rely on the shipping route.
"As an example, a per-ton fee applied against the current barge shipping volume on the [McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System] could be supplemented by a to-be-determined amount by each of the three states — Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma — to yield an optimum investment to be matched by the federal government," Portiss said.
Tulsa Port of Catoosa Director David Yarbrough said no one in Washington is asking if Oklahoma’s shipping route is going to be OK.
"Our tonnage is important to us, but it’s infinitesimal compared to what the Corps has to say grace over on a daily basis," Yarbrough said.
On top of the maintenance backlog, the waterway was never deepened from 9 feet to 12 as hoped. Port of Muskogee Director Scott Robinson said the extra depth would mean loading barges with up to 40% more cargo.
"So, you can move a lot more goods with a lot less equipment. Should lower the cost of shipping substantially," Robinson said.
It’s estimated Oklahoma highways would have to handle 700 more trucks each day if the navigation system were shut down.
