Our engineering team here in Tulsa recently completed a major project for the Tulsa Port of Catoosa: an 80,000-square-foot salt storage facility. One of the largest facilities of its type in North America, the new building holds up to 50,000 tons of salt, providing a much-needed supply for use by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation when de-icing roads. The salt will be shipped on barges from the Gulf of Mexico to its northeast Oklahoma destination via the Mississippi River and the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigational System.
Growing Our Employment and Economic Base
The Tulsa Port of Catoosa is one of the largest inland river ports in the nation. In addition to serving as a multi-modal shipping center, the port has a 2,000-acre industrial park with more than 60 facilities. Approximately 4,000 people are employed here, working in a wide range of industries.
Our office has served as the port’s architectural and engineering consultant since 1972, and over time we have become a trusted advisor to the port staff. Working hand-in-hand with the staff and the port authority board, Dewberry has been instrumental in the planning and design of the transportation (road, barge, and rail) system, as well as its water distribution, wastewater collection, and stormwater management systems.
On a personal level, I’ve had the opportunity to work on many interesting projects at the port. Channel improvement projects have included widening the navigation channel, barge mooring dolphins, and inbound/outbound conveyor systems. Landside improvements have ranged from roadways, to the extension of rail lines and utilities, to preparing construction documents for projects such as the salt storage facility.
Global Reach
Each year, Tulsa Port of Catoosa customers send and receive more than 2.2 million tons of cargo by barge, rail, and truck. The port has proven to be a vital part of our economy here in Oklahoma, connecting Tulsa with communities around the globe. We are proud to have been a part of the growth of this robust shipping and manufacturing center, and look forward to working with the port as it continues to serve our region in the future.
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