Astorians will soon see repairs underway on the recently closed East Mooring Basin causeway.
In January, ODOT inspectors looked over the facility at the Port of Astoria’s request. The agency found the roadway’s supports were dangerously unsound, and immediately closed it to vehicle traffic. The causeway provides access to the marina there, where numerous commercial and recreational vessels are berthed.
The port has hired Bergerson Construction to complete repairs in the amount of about $90,000.
Even though the agency is short on contingency funds at the moment, the port has found a way to pay for the project.
Port Executive Director Jack Crider said the port has $126,000 in reserve that it received from Oregon Energy Trust. The money reimburses the port for part of its cost to install energy-efficient equipment when it built the Bornstein Seafood facility on Pier 2.
While the money is normally held in an escrow account, Crider said, there was currently no clear use outlined for the funds.
At one time the monies were to be used in connection with Bornstein Seafood plans to build a tourist-oriented "Fish Factory" facility at the port. That plan is no longer under consideration by port officials.
"We decided we had an emergency and that we would borrow and replenish the money over a three-year period," Crider said.
Bornstein Seafood had requested the port install the cost-cutting equipment. Long-term, the Energy Trust funds will go toward the final payments on Bornstein loans the company is repaying to the port for building construction.
The loan will allow repairs on the causeway to be completed in a timely manner. In the meantime, the breakwater is still accessible to pedestrians.