The Story Behind the Sculptures at America's Central Port

America’s Central Port has four art installations along Illinois Route 3, all located within Granite City and Madison, marking the boundaries of the Port property. The four sculptures include the Wake of the Flood, the Wayfinder, the Oculus, and the latest addition Intermodal Powerhouse No.1. Together they are visible to over 18,000 motorists daily who transit Illinois Route 3 from the McKinley Bridge to I-270.

Wake of the Flood,

by Scott Ross (Lucas Coffin assisted in the assembly and co-fabrication of the piece)

Wake of the Flood

Inspiration for the Piece: America’s Central Port, located along the Chain of Rocks Canal, is protected by a 500-year U.S. Army Corps of Engineers levee. Prior to the levee, the region would flood when the Mississippi River would rise. The artist's inspiration for this particular piece, which can be found at the corner of Bissell & Rt 3, was to create something that made reference to what’s left behind after a flood. When the water recedes, the high water mark leaves behind this jumble of linear elements (typically trees) on the bank of the river. This site specific piece signifies the resilience of America’s Central Port and the permanent mark it has made in helping advance the economic development of the region. It is a narrow and horizontally positioned piece by design, meant to complement the vertical nature of the surrounding space, including the various tall buildings and structures, trees, phone poles, and other infrastructure elements. As for the name of the piece, Scott Ross has been known to incorporate Grateful Dead references into his work, and for this piece he felt Wake of the Flood, the 6th studio album from 1973 was a perfect fit. The wake is what’s left over; it’s the after. America’s Central Port is the after, it’s the mark that reminds the region of how far we’ve come and inspires us to keep moving forward.

Scott Ross Bio: Scott Ross was born and raised in Union Lake, MI and earned BA (1997) degrees in Ceramics and Creative Writing from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. He then earned his MFA (2012) in Sculpture from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Since 1997, he has been building and firing wood-kilns at his home studio in Union Lake, MI. During the last ten years he has participated in 46 exhibitions (13 solo and 33 two person/group with 3 international), including exhibitions at the Museo del Vino, Laumeier Sculpture Park and The Tarble Arts Center. These exhibitions are representative of his continued interest in sculpture, installation and ceramics as vehicles for self-expression.

Wayfinder,

by Noah Kirby

Inspiration for the Piece:

The Wayfinder sculpture, which can be found at the corner of W 20th Street and IL Rt 3, was designed to address three areas of interest to the Port. To use steel as a primary material, signify the relationship between the Port and the local community, and to capture the significance of the Mississippi River. The boundaries of America’s Central Port property spans the communities of Madison, Venice, and Granite City. This steel sculpture is composed of three individual elements that are interrelated with one another. Each element in the sculpture is its own structure, self-supporting, and individual. When the composition of these three elements come together it creates a whole that interacts and interrelates with one another in a way that is visually dynamic. In both a literal and figurative way, the sculpture speaks to the Port as a place where parts of the community come together as a whole. The choice to paint the piece red is in reference to a theme found in river navigation. All along the Mississippi River lie red and green buoys that mark the navigable channel, directing north and southbound barge traffic. “Red right returning” is a phrase used to help remember how the system of navigational aids work in way-finding. When traveling upstream, or in the Port’s case towards home, you keep the red markers on your right. In a subtle way this choice to paint the sculpture red alludes to the idea of the river as a way home as well as being a symbol of finding direction, hence the title “Wayfinder.”

Oculus,

by Noah Kirby (Contributing artists: Alison Ouellette-Kirby, Elizabeth Kronfield, Matt Wicker)

Inspiration for the Piece:

This piece, which can be found along IL Rt 3 and the Confluence Bike Trail between Rock Road and W 20th Street, is part of the Six Mile Sculptureworks series and was designed to highlight the significance and creativity within the manufacturing process of steel, which is prevalent throughout the region. The challenge behind this piece was activating the landscape adjacent to IL Route 3, incorporating the river and road, all while maintaining a commitment to steel as the key material. The overall design incorporates multiple references to the surrounding landscape and river elements. The form makes reference to riverboat paddle wheels, locally manufactured steel coils, the wheels and tires of the trucks that move along IL Route 3, as well as being a sort of wild flower within the landscape. The title “Oculus” came about in reference to the idea that these things are critically significant parts of the Ports activity. They are a sort of lens through which to see the region and to bring into focus the Port’s role as a valued participant.

Intermodal Powerhouse No.1,

by Noah Kirby

Inspiration for the Piece:

The focal point of design for this piece are the two 20’ tall smoke stacks that were salvaged from the boilers of the former Granite City Army Depot power plant on property at the Port. The theme of this piece revolves around the nature of the Port as an economic engine and powerhouse of sorts. The stacks were the focal point of the design, along with the use of a grain silo and structures that make reference to shipping containers and the curved tops as seen on various Mississippi River barges. Beyond the two salvaged smoke stacks, at the center of the composition is a partial grain silo connected with a shipping container/barge lid. It is intended to look like a purpose-built functional structure, though not so specific as to be dismissed as “just another Port building”. The color scheme was chosen to align with the green and blue accents of the America’s Central Port logo, where the color blue represents the river, green represents the road, and grey represents access to six Class-1 railroads. The camouflage-like design is both a tribute to the history of the Port as the former U.S. Army Melvin Price Logistics Depot, as well as the nature of the Port as a crucial component in the region’s economic engine, camouflaged in plain sight.

Noah Kirby Bio:

Noah Kirby produces both public and private commission work and is currently Artist-in-Residence for America’s Central Port in Granite City, IL. In addition to his time spent as a sculptor, he is a Senior Lecturer in Sculpture for the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Art at Washington University, where he teaches courses on sculpture, public sculpture art practice, 3D design foundations, blacksmithing, foundry, and metal fabrication. His art practice utilizes conventions of both industrial manufacturing process and hand craft traditions to build objects that offer subjective experience within shared spaces. Deeply invested in manufacturing processes, he founded and is the Co-Director of the Six Mile SculptureWorks program of Alfresco Productions in Granite City, Illinois, whose mission is to rebrand the town as a place where Art and Industry Meet. He has served on the International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art, and is a standing member of the Western Cast Iron Art Alliance. In addition, he has served on the Board of Directors for Saint Louis Artworks, and is a Board Member of Sculpture Works Ferguson. His work has been displayed across the nation in outdoor and gallery exhibitions, as well as internationally in Canada, China, Great Britain, and France.

America's Central Port and St. Louis Working Together: $20.86 Million Awarded for Port Improvements

SCF Lewis & Clark Terminals authored a very competitive U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant earlier this year on behalf of America's Central Port, the City of St. Louis Port Authority, and the Southwest Regional Port District (East St. Louis) for improvements to the three port facilities.

America’s Central Port submitted the application and will be administering the grant, however the funds were requested on behalf of SCF, the author of the grant and river transportation operator at all three locations.

The total amount of funds required to construct the proposed St. Louis Bi-State Regional Ports Improvement Project (outlined below) total $26,050,000, where $20.84 million was awarded through the BUILD grant, and the remaining 20% match of $5.21 million will be provided by SCF Lewis and Clark Terminals LLC.

St. Louis Bi-State Regional Ports Improvement Project:

America’s Central Port Upgrades in Granite City, IL - $15.8 million

Improvements include approximately 2,050 linear feet of new railroad track, 925 linear feet of paved terminal access roadway, new product receiving belt system (barge to rail), barge loading system replacement, rail car load-out upgrades from storage domes, multi-modal transfer equipment (barge, train and truck) modernization, and employee safety upgrades.

St. Louis Port Authority Upgrades in St. Louis, MO - $9 million

Improvements include 7,350 linear feet of new railroad track, barge loading equipment modernization, river and transfer conveyor replacement, loading shed and support system updates, employee safety upgrades, and necessary improvements to maintain operations during high water conditions up to 40 feet flood stage.

Southwest Regional Port District Upgrades in East St. Louis, IL - $1.25 million

Improvements include loading shed and electrical system updates, hoist system and barge loading spout upgrades, and necessary improvements to maintain operations during high water conditions up to 40 feet flood stage.

Construction is projected to begin in January 2022, and completed in December 2023.

Project Background:

SCF Lewis and Clark Terminals LLC provides integrated logistics and barge transportation services to support the St. Louis bi-state region’s inland ports. Because St. Louis is an important intersection point for Class I railroads, multiple highways and the river transportation system, the St. Louis region is able to pull grain from surplus regions in the west and north, funneling grain to the river system via America’s Central Port, St. Louis Port Authority Municipal River Terminal and the Southwest Regional Port District facilities.

The region’s strategic location on the Mississippi River is the northernmost lock and ice-free port on the river and offers substantial fleeting operations. The St. Louis region is the second largest inland port and the largest inland agricultural port in the world.

This proposed regional project supports the outlook shared by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue when visiting the bi-state region noting, “Logistics and transportation are some of the most important aspects to farming and America’s superior inland waterways are critical to our overall agricultural system,” Secretary Perdue said. “Water transport is the most efficient, cost-effective transportation for our producers, and our waterways keep the American exporter the most competitive in the world.” Also present in the bi-state region, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James added, “This Nation’s inland waterways are vital to our economy as they provide cost-effective transportation to producers and manufacturers throughout the system while reducing pressure on our overburdened interstate highways,” said Assistant Secretary James. “Our inland waterway system is the largest in the world and provides jobs that strengthen American communities and the nation as a whole.”

While rail-served, the three St. Louis bi-state regional terminals do not have sufficient track capacity to handle unit trains, thus crippling the competitive advantage of being centrally located in the agricultural heartland just south of the confluence of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois Rivers. Aging intermodal transfer equipment cannot currently handle throughput sufficiently to satisfy unit train requirements for future use. Employee safety enhancement will also enable the facility to meet customer demands for inspection of longer rail cars. In addition, these facilities cannot maintain productivity during high water events. In 2019, barge loading/unloading was suspended for 82 days when the Mississippi River was between 30 and 38 feet flood stage. This project will overcome these challenges and make the region’s river infrastructure more resilient and competitive. Other economic impacts are outlined below.

• On an annual basis, improvements to handling equipment will eliminate 1,500 truckloads that circulate the port facilities. Diverting cargo from truck to railroad removes an additional 27,500 trucks from the highways on an annual basis. In addition, accommodating unit trains replaces a minimum of 400 trucks per train. These changes will reduce truck emissions generated from these facilities up to 56% annually, decrease overall pavement ware, and help with traffic congestion on public roads.

• Private sector matching funds will be used to meet the 20% required match, all of which are at port facilities within Opportunity Zones (OZ), helping increase awareness about the investment opportunity within the region. In addition, the project will create nearly 235 temporary construction jobs within these communities.

• By eliminating annual suspension of barge operations due to high water conditions, these facilities will be able to maintain operations during river levels up to 40 feet, increasing the resiliency for national exports. (In 2019, high water levels caused an 82 day suspension; upgrades enable 0 days at same flood stage) This will eliminate the diversion of train carloads having to be shipped by alternative distribution channels, helping to avoid higher freight costs and lower market rates for regional farmers during flood events in the St. Louis region.

• By expanding export operations, where currently 50% of U.S. crops and livestock are produced within a 500-mile radius of this St. Louis bi-state region, including approximately 80% of corn and soybean acreage, these updates will provide a substantial level of support for the rural economy.

• Food safety is a very important issue for terminal customers and the port terminals themselves as both are accountable by audit on an annual basis to ensure proper procedures are followed with their cargo. Updating the cargo handling facilities will enable the St. Louis bi-state region to stay ahead of “Feed-to-Food” standards that are anticipated to become even more stringent than processes in place today.

Project Scope For Each Site:

America’s Central Port, Granite City and Madison, Illinois - Upgrades: $15.8M

1. Replace the dust collection system installed at the Norfolk Southern (NS) railroad and truck transfer operations to contribute to better air quality.

2. Update rail served buildings to accommodate fall protection for worker safety and service expansion to meet customer demands for inspection of longer rail cars.

3. Update rail served buildings to accommodate fall protection for worker safety and service expansion to meet customer demands for inspection of longer rail cars

4. Upgrade the product receiving system to meet efficiency standards for grain by-product volumes and Class I railroad turn times.

5. Replace outdated barge loading system not currently capable of handling full customer production for export, doubling the capacity for agricultural products.

6. Update the rail car loading system at the storage domes to increase efficiency and reduce truckloads from the port roadway network annually.

7. Pave truck haul road to eliminate dust and improve accessibility to the terminal operations from the paved roadway network through the greater port facility.

8. Extend two NS rail spurs to accommodate unit trains improving efficiency and marketability of the port to the railroads.

9. Installation of four grain bins at the Madison Harbor will enable simultaneous handling of rail cars and trucks to maximize the full potential and capacity of this facility.

The operations associated with line item #5 noted above currently handles over 5,000 rail cars of agricultural products annually. This capacity keeps over 20,000 trucks off the highways. The proposed state of the art equipment will increase facility capacity to 10,000 rail cars annually and this will remove another 20,000 trucks from the highways for a total annual impact of 40,000 less truck emissions, pavement ware, and exposure to the travelling public. Another 1,500 truckloads within the multi-modal facility will be eliminated by the improvement noted in line item #6 above through updates to the rail car loading system, which will help to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Lastly, the fall protection components noted in line items #2 and #3 not only enhance employee safety, but also enable the facility to meet customer demands for inspection of longer rail cars.

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St. Louis, Missouri - MRT Upgrades: $9M

The City of St. Louis owns this public Mississippi River terminal. The Project proposes to expand the existing rail to accommodate unit trains at the facility with two spurs of adequate length. The upgrades will also enhance efficient movement of cargo by barge as well as enhance employee safety while increasing resilience from flooding as summarized below:

1. Install approximately 7,350 feet of railroad track to extend two spurs to accommodate unit trains.

2. Modify the barge loading equipment and structure to improve efficiency and enable operations to continue in high water conditions.

3. Replace river and transfer conveyors as well as all supporting systems to increase throughput satisfying unit train requirements for future use.

4. Update the loading shed and facilities including the electrical system, fall protection for worker safety and service expansion to meet customer demands for inspection of longer rail cars.

The installation of new track to extend the existing spurs within the rail corridor identified for line item #1 noted above is imperative to becoming a unit train shipper, which is a regional need to elevate the competitive advantage for this location. Current and future customer demand dictates expansion of the rail infrastructure in the region and the MRT facility has the capacity to accommodate additional tracks that may be fully integrated with the paved development so as not to impede full access to freight trucks, terminal vehicles, and equipment. Line item #3 above is necessary to increase the throughput capacity of the conveyor systems to meet the requirements for future unit trains. The fall protection components of line item #4 not only enhance employee safety but also enable the facility to meet customer demands for inspection of longer rail cars.

By modifying current barge loading equipment and structures as described in line item #2, this facility will expedite the movement of agricultural products uninterrupted through any high water conditions up to approximately 40 feet flood stage. In 2019 there were 82 days where barge loading and unloading was suspended at MRT and ESTL due to high water, resulting in an estimated 6,560 train carloads regionally (equivalent to 23 million bushels of corn) having to be shipped by alternative distribution channels incurring higher freight costs and lower market rates for regional farmers. Facilities will be enhanced to offer capabilities in handling all non-free flowing agricultural products. This will allow the port to be competitive and provide their customers with this service. It will also provide the ability to increase throughput capacities to accommodate current and future railroad requirements for unit train shipments.

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East St. Louis, Illinois - ESTL Upgrades: $1.25M

This Southwest Regional Port District facility was built in 1955 and needs updated electrical operating systems for safe operations and to maintain a state of good repair. Like MRT, this facility needs to be modified to handle larger barges in high water conditions. In addition to overcoming this challenge, the upgrades at this facility will enhance efficient movement of cargo by barge as well as enhance employee safety while increasing resilience from flooding as summarized below.

1. Update the electrical system at the loading shed.

2. Update hoist system and barge loading spout to increase efficiency, handle larger barges and enable operations to continue in high water conditions.

Letters of support for The St. Louis Bi-State Regional Ports Improvement Project were provided by:

• Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) – Senate Minority Leader

• Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) – Transportation and Safety Subcommittee

• Congressman Mike Bost (R-IL) – House T&I Committee

• Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL) – House T&I Committee

• Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL) – House Energy and Commerce Committee

• Senator Roy Blunt, (R-MO) – Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

• Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO) – House T&I Committee

• Congressman Lacy Clay (D-MO)

• Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)

• Mayor Lyda Krewson – City of St. Louis

• St. Clair County Economic Development

• America’s Central Port

• St. Louis Port Authority

• Inland Rivers Ports and Terminals, Inc.

• The Chamber of Commerce – Southwest Madison County

• St. Louis Regional Freightway

America's Central Port Wins $630,000 from DCEO for Opportunity Zone Development

America's Central Port is proud to announce a $630,000 grant award from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) under its Opportunity Zone Program. The program bolsters the competitiveness of the state's Opportunity Zones by providing matching funds for infrastructure investments and site readiness activities to help attract Opportunity Zone investment.

The Port's submission, spearheaded by Planner Christie Voelker, will realign and reconstruct West Fourth Street in the Port's Warehouse District. The realignment and reconstruction of this street will move it further away from the warehouses it serves, allowing for more effective truck circulation and improving last mile efficiencies for both future prospects and manufacturing tenants already at the Port looking to grow.

With the potential for new development on the 60-acres of undeveloped and rail-served land adjacent to this street, this particular infrastructure investment is ideally poised to attract private investment and employment opportunities to this Opportunity Zone census tract. (The proposed project is located in census tract 17119400200, a designated Opportunity Zone.)

In addition to the capacity for new businesses, a current tenant adjacent to W. Fourth Street is considering expansion of their facility. The expansion would entail an estimated $3 million investment and the retention of 19 jobs, with the potential to create an additional 15 jobs over the next five years. Stating that reliable and efficient last-mile logistics is required to remain competitive in their industry, the construction of this road will be a significant advantage for their operation.

The reconstruction and realignment of West Fourth Street will take approximately 13 months. Detailed design has already begun, and documents will be ready for bidding later this year. The project is projected to be completed by June, 2021.

We’d like to thank the City of Madison, St. Louis Regional Freightway, Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois, and Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Commission for providing letters of recommendation to help secure this grant.