MarAd Expands Inland Waterways
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced the Maritime Administration (MarAd) has designated 848 new miles of navigable waterways and approved 14 new sponsors for the U.S. Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The network, which now covers 27,139 miles across 35 designated routes, supports U.S. supply chains, critical infrastructure and maritime workforce development.
A key highlight of this expansion is the strengthening of the M-90 route, which runs 2,345 miles through the Great Lakes, connecting Minnesota to New York. Seven new sponsors have joined M-90: the State Departments of Transportation for Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and New York, as well as the Ports of Indiana and the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority.
“Coming from the Midwest, I’ve seen firsthand how maritime dominance isn’t just about our oceans. Our nation’s many rivers and inland ports are crucial resources to moving great American products to markets across the country and around the world,” Duffy said. “Expanding the Marine Highway Program will strengthen the Great Lakes economy and other regional communities.”
The newly designated routes and their new sponsors include hundreds of miles of inland waterways.
- M-23 (20 miles): Big Sandy River – Co-sponsored by Kentucky and West Virginia DOTs
- M-24 (382 miles): Cumberland River – Co-sponsored by Kentucky and Tennessee DOTs
- M-165 (109 miles): Green River – Sponsored by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
- M-167 (337 miles): Ouachita River – Co-sponsored by Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development and Arkansas Waterways Commission
The USMHP is currently accepting grant applications through July 15, 2025. The Notice of Funding Opportunity and application details can be found on grants.gov.
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