Master Planning the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi — Rebirth After Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Port of Gulfport struggled to rebuild its port facilities and cargo base while the surrounding local community and state government considered dramatic plans to reuse the Port and surrounding area for urban renewal of the waterfront. Local community interest and state renewal plans were developed to rebuild the Mississippi coastline that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. The state renewal plan conflicted with the existing Port Master Plan and port access plans in ways that limited port operations. This study will show how the Port balanced competing interests to arrive at a plan that allows its continued growth and success and simultaneously provides a compromise for urban renewal of the Mississippi waterfront. Elements of the Master Plan include container terminals, dry bulk facilities, break bulk terminals, cruise facilities, gaming operations, hotel/commercial land uses, marinas, shrimp fleet operations, elevated highway connector roadways, rail access, and an off-dock intermodal yard. The access issues involved considering methods to separate traffic patterns for the cruise passengers, gaming patrons, and truck traffic — while still allowing limited destination traffic routing through the downtown core. An overview will be provided of the lessons learned about structural damage, land use changes and their impacts on the planning for the future redevelopment of the Port and access routes. These lessons are applicable to all ports that are located adjacent to waterfront communities and areas potentially impacted by natural disasters.