Media Contact:
Grace Bader
info@gcpdtexas.com
PORT ARTHUR, TX – On April 9, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) awarded a $403,944,000 contract to Kiewit US Contractors Co. to construct additional portions of the Port Arthur Project, a component of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.
The Port Arthur Project provides critical improvements to increase the level of flood protection, or risk reduction, provided by the existing hurricane protection system in Port Arthur. Under the awarded Contract PAV04, construction will include the replacement of 9,525 feet of floodwall, 2,300 feet of levee raises, four levee-floodwall tie-ins, and fronting protection at three pump stations. These upgrades are intended to enhance the reliability and performance of the existing hurricane protection system. Construction of this work is expected to begin in Summer 2026 and take approximately 3-1/2 years to complete.
Contract PAV04 is a Design-Build contract and serves as the seed project for USACE’s $7 billion Construction Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC), which provides a more efficient process for delivering large-scale civil works infrastructure projects along the Texas coast.
The Port Arthur Project is a partnership between USACE and Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 (DD7), with funding support from the State of Texas through the Texas General Land Office and the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD). Project costs are shared 65% federally and 35% non-federally. USACE is managing the design and construction, while DD7 will continue to operate and maintain the system following construction.
“This award, which represents the largest construction contract to date for the S2G Project, is an important step in the long-term effort to improve flood protection for the Port Arthur area,” said GCPD Executive Director Coalter Baker. “We're pleased to support DD7 and USACE as they move this critical work forward.”
“Jefferson County Drainage District No 7 appreciates the efforts and support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas General Land Office, and the Gulf Coast Protection District in helping to protect the citizens and economy of Southeast Texas. Contract PAV04 is the third of ten proposed projects that will greatly enhance the storm surge protection for our area. We are excited to see continued progress on this effort.” said Allen Sims, General Manager of DD7.
The project team continues to develop designs for the remaining elements of the Port Arthur Project, with full project completion targeted for 2033. According to USACE, when complete this important initiative will protect the people and businesses of Port Arthur and contribute to the long-term security of the entire Gulf Coast region.
"Through the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7, the community in Port Arthur has dutifully maintained their coastal storm surge defenses for decades. This investment improves those defenses to provide more resiliency and protection to further safeguard Texans from the growing threat of storm surge and flooding," said Colonel Rhett Blackmon, Commander of the Galveston District. "This project is emblematic of our efforts up and down the Texas Coast to increase coastal storm and flood risk management for the communities we serve.”
For more information about the S2G Project and the Port Arthur Project, visit https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/S2G/.
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The Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) was created in 2021 by the 87th Texas Legislature to oversee the implementation of an integrated and comprehensive coastal resilience strategy for the upper Texas coast. Specifically, this includes assuming the role of non-Federal sponsor for major portions of the federally funded and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led Coastal Texas Project and Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Project. The GCPD contains approximately 5,220 square miles of land covering Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange counties. The GCPD’s mission is to protect Gulf Coast communities, the environment, and economic activity from storm surge. For more information about the GCPD, visit https://www.gcpdtexas.com/.
For more news and information about the USACE Galveston District, follow us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict, or Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.
Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 was established in 1946 and serves the drainage needs of South Jefferson County. DD7 covers an area of 107.42 square miles and encompasses the cities of Port Arthur, Groves, Nederland, Port Neches, and unincorporated areas of Jefferson County. For more information about DD7, visit http://dd7.org/.
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