Gov. McKee Highlights Infrastructure Upgrades at Quonset’s Port of Davisville
QDC Managing Director Steven King, P.E. hosted Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and General Treasurer James A. Diossa (shown at left) on a tour of infrastructure upgrades at the Port of Davisville’s Pier 1 recently. Governor McKee and the General Assembly invested $60 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at the Port in 2022, furthering Davisville’s evolution as a key hub for the offshore wind industry in the North Atlantic.
The port’s World War II-era Pier 1 is being revitalized as part of Quonset’s $234.5 million Port of Davisville Master Plan. The work includes replacing thousands of wooden pilings which have been in Narragansett Bay supporting the pier for over 80 years with new concrete and steel ones.
Ongoing infrastructure improvements will position Davisville to continue as one of the Top Ten auto importers in North America, while expanding capacity for offshore wind. Governor McKee was also briefed on additional components of the Port Master Plan, including construction of a new multi-purpose pier at Terminal 5 and a new docking space for vessels to support offshore wind construction projects, as well as other landside improvements.
Seabee Chapel in the Pines Receives Legislative Grant
The recent effort to restore the historic “Seabee Chapel in the Pines” has been led by Joseph Frigon, President of the Seabee Museum and Park, and his wife Gail. Rhode Island State Representative Julie Casimiro presented the Frigons with a $2,500 legislative grant recently (below) to improve the existing sound systems and acoustics in the chapel.
Quonset is the former home of the Fighting Seabees, a naval construction battalion which served in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and contributed to U.S. efforts in Beirut and Antarctica. The restoration of the Seabee Chapel in the Pines reflects Quonset’s tradition of honoring the service members who were stationed there, and their decades of service to our country.