Steven King, Quonset Development Corp.Nearly 11,000 people work at Quonset Business Park today at over 200 companies, while the Port of Davisville is one of the top ten auto importers on the continent. A key reason for this success has been our commitment to enhancing the business park by constantly looking for opportunities to better serve the companies that do business here and the people that work here.
A key example of that commitment is our effort to modernize and rehabilitate Pier 2 at the Port of Davisville. Today, more than 75 companies rely on Quonset’s Port of Davisville to put $97 million of annual earnings into the pockets of Rhode Island workers. At the same time, the Port generates $27 million in state and local taxes and supports 1,500 direct, indirect and induced jobs. Known as “the work horse” of Davisville, Pier 2 was built in 1956 with a design life of 50 years. Now 60 years old, we recognize that now is the time to invest in our success and ensure the Port remains a key asset to Rhode Island’s economy.
Modernizing Pier 2 is no small task and will require an investment from the state and port users. The project will create a third berth, include some dredging and install new sheet pile around the entire 16-acre earth-filled wharf. In addition to extending the life of Pier 2 for another 50 years, adding a third berth will allow for more overall capacity so that other shippers can be persuaded to call at the facility. The increase in offshore wind projects, opportunities in short-sea shipping, robust auto imports, and potential auto export business are all on the horizon. This project will ensure that Quonset’s Port of Davisville stays competitive with other ports in the region while preserving hundreds of jobs in the maritime sector.
At Quonset Business Park, we are also tasked with the challenge of getting the Park’s 11,000 employees to their jobs every day in the most efficient way possible. While we continue to invest in programs to preserve open space, improve our bike path, and make miles of shoreline accessible to the public, we know that public transportation will have a significant impact on our ability to transport people in and out of the Park as it continues to thrive.
As we move forward, efficient public transportation will be an asset in recruiting new businesses here and will create opportunities for existing businesses to expand. Over the past several months Quonset has been working with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) to assess bus routes serving the Park and see what new opportunities might be available with the increasing workforce. QDC has been coordinating with RIPTA to develop an updated transit plan, including surveying the community, tenant companies and their employees. The results of this work will be rolled out in 2017.
Increased transportation alternatives are an important feature for our existing and prospective tenants. These are just a few of the ways we are modernizing our transportation assets at Quonset Business Park and adapting to our tenants business needs. Not only do they benefit the Park businesses and their employees but they will also ensure our momentum as a key driver of Rhode Island’s economy.
Steven King, PE, is the managing director of the Quonset Development Corp., North Kingstown.