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Major construction plans underway at the Port of Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A major construction project is underway at the Port of Albany being paid for with more than 12-million dollars in Federal Stimulus and State funding. The plans include replacing the wharfs, extending the rail lines and expanding its heavy lift capacity. Local elected officials came together Monday to update the public on the progress.

The first phase of the project is now underway, replacing the old, wooden structure of the wharf with steel and concrete. According to the Port of Albany's General Manager, Richard Hendrick the project will help, "Leading us far into the future with the types of loads that the General Electrics and the rest of the companies of the world that will be shipping through here will be able to offload here right onto the dock."

The second phase will involve installing railroad tracks, which will allow good to be offloaded directly onto trains. Albany County Executive Michael Breslin said, "The rail will be out closer so that you can go straight from the ships to the rail and on into the interior of the country."

Officials with the Port of Albany confirm they've already hired an additional 60 people to help with construction. The project is expected to be completed by October of next year.