Yellow Creek Port Expansion Underway in Tishomingo County

Construction is now underway on the nearly $13 million Yellow Creek Port expansion near Iuka, a project state leaders say will double the Tishomingo County port’s ability to move heavy freight between the water, rail lines and trucks. Gov. Tate Reeves marked the groundbreaking earlier this month, saying the improvements will significantly increase the port’s ability to move materials.

What the Yellow Creek Port expansion includes

The Yellow Creek State Inland Port sits on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway system in the far northeast corner of Mississippi, making it one of the state’s key links to barge traffic on the Tennessee River. The $12,857,143 project, first announced by the governor’s office, is designed to modernize aging infrastructure and let the port handle bigger, heavier loads. According to the governor’s office, the work includes:

• Renovating the port’s existing 400-foot transload dock and extending it by 212 feet
• Installing four new mooring cells to secure barges
• Rail modifications to speed up transfers between barges, rail cars and trucks
• Concrete pavement upgrades to support heavier freight
• A 700-ton material handling crane, which state officials say doubles the port’s current lift capacity

When the investment was announced, Reeves called it “a vital step in modernizing our port infrastructure and ensuring that Mississippi remains competitive in the global marketplace.”

How the project is funded

Most of the money comes from the Appalachian Regional Commission, which serves Tishomingo County and much of Northeast Mississippi. The funding breaks down this way:

• $9 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s ARISE (Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies) program
• $2.5 million from the Mississippi State Multimodal Infrastructure Fund
• $1,357,143 from the Yellow Creek State Port Authority

Why it matters for Iuka and Tishomingo County

Ports like Yellow Creek give manufacturers and shippers in the region a lower-cost way to move heavy and bulk goods. By connecting barge, rail and truck traffic in one place, the port lets companies choose the cheapest and most efficient route for their freight. State officials say the larger dock and heavier-lift crane should cut shipping costs and make the site more attractive to industries looking to locate or expand in Northeast Mississippi.

The project comes as economic developers across the Alcorn, Prentiss and Tishomingo County area work to recruit new industry and jobs. A completion date for the construction has not been announced.

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Source: Office of Gov. Tate Reeves