The U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced last Thursday that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has designated 848 new miles of navigable waterways and approved 14 new sponsors for the U.S. Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The network, which now covers 27,139 miles across 35 designated routes, supports U.S. supply chains, critical infrastructure, and maritime workforce development.
A key highlight of this expansion is the strengthening of the M-90 route, which runs 2,345 miles through the Great Lakes, connecting Minnesota to New York. Seven new sponsors have joined M-90: the State Departments of Transportation for Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, and New York, as well as the Ports of Indiana and the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority.
“Coming from the Midwest, I’ve seen firsthand how maritime dominance isn’t just about our oceans. Our nation’s many rivers and inland ports are crucial resources to moving great American products to markets across the country and around the world,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Expanding the Marine Highway Program will strengthen the Great Lakes economy and other regional communities.”
“By adding local sponsors to the Marine Highway Program who know these regions well, we can help more American communities and businesses prosper,” said MARAD Acting Administrator Sang Yi. “Bringing more partners into the marine transportation network is a no brainer.”
Newly designated routes and their new sponsors include:
- M-23 (20 miles): Big Sandy River – Co-sponsored by Kentucky and West Virginia DOTs
- M-24 (382 miles): Cumberland River – Co-sponsored by Kentucky and Tennessee DOTs
- M-165 (109 miles): Green River – Sponsored by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
- M-167 (337 miles): Ouachita River – Co-sponsored by Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development and Arkansas Waterways Commission
The original announcement can be found here.