Putnam County is moving forward with efforts to upgrade Port Putnam. In August, the Board of County Commissioners approved submitting a $10 million federal grant application to help pay for infrastructure improvements at the port.
The upgrades are based on the Port Development Plan, which was finished earlier this year after the county received a planning grant in 2022. The plan identifies several key projects needed to make Port Putnam a working cargo port, including building a new bulkhead and creating more space for cargo operations. The total cost for these improvements is estimated at $15.2 million.
If the federal grant is awarded, it will be combined with funding from both the state of Florida and Putnam County.
Interest in the project has reached the federal level as well. U.S. Representative Randy Fine visited Port Putnam in late August to meet with Port Manager Sam Sullivan and County Administrator Terry Suggs. They discussed how the project could create economic opportunities for Putnam County.
Local, state, and federal partners are working together to make Port Putnam a driver of future economic growth in the area.
