Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Port Development Assistance Program

Improving ports and waterways in Minnesota

About the program

The Minnesota Port Development Assistance Program (PDAP) provides the state’s public port authorities with capital investment funding assistance through grants. It's administered by MnDOT's Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations.

The need

A cornerstone of the Minnesota Port Development Assistance Program is improved access to waterways transportation that benefits Minnesota industries and the public.

The goal

Program assistance is used to upgrade facilities and infrastructure, as well as to rehabilitate and expand port capacity.

How the program works

For each port improvement project, PDAP involves a maximum state match of 80 percent funding and a local match of at least 20 percent.

Benefits and impacts

  • New or expansion dredging to maximize ship draft at dock areas
  • Dock wall construction
  • Building, rehabilitating or retrofitting of new technologies for port structures and facilities
  • Improving road and rail access to port areas
  • Upgrading plumbing and electrical to meet safety codes