Jim Fair
Assembly has begun with the rubber-tiered gantry cranes at the Inland Port.
Bruce Fallon / Greer CPW
The enormity of the port is shown with the 440,000 square foot BMW Warehouse in the left background, a temporary concrete site and other facilities in some form of construction.
Bruce Fallon / Greer CPW
The operations left, and maintenance buildings are under construction. A 3-lane truck wash will be at the left of the maintenance building.
Bruce Fallon / Greer CPW
Norfolk Southern has completed the infrastructure on its main line leading into the port. Double-decked containers will be the norm for cargo entering the port.
The Greer Commission of Public Works reported Monday it has completed its work along the Moore Street corridor and all gas lines have been capped.
Randy Olson, Operations Manager at CPW, told commissioners that gas is working on Woodruff Street and gas lines have been laid on the outside edge of the port’s operations, maintenance and truck wash facilities adjacent to the $13.4 million BMW Warehouse.
The Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District is leasing the land for the 440,000-square foot warehouse to the South Carolina Port Authority. It will be the first building to facilitate cargo served by Norfolk Southern railroad beginning in mid-October.
“The warehouse has permanent power,” Olson said. “The water and sewer lines will be built by the port’s contractors. “ Water at the site was provided by CPW before construction began.
A site for a new CPW substation to service the east side of Greer remains to be be purchased.
Norfolk Southern has also completed its work on the main line and infrastructure coming into the port. The SCPA will contract with another agency to lay the tracks inside the port.
Olson said GSP Logistics Parkway has been cut to Hwy 80. It will connect to the port via International Commerce Way, the only road facilitating traffic for loading, unloading and storage of containers.
City Council will address a truck traffic ordinance and signage to steer trucks away from downtown Greer at its Sept. 9 meeting. The construction entrance to the Inland Port on Hwy. 290 will be closed to all traffic upon the port’s completion.
Signage will be posted prohibiting all truck traffic through downtown Greer, city and state highways. Truck traffic bringing cargo into and out of the port will use Hwy. 80.
• The mild weather is being blamed for the CPW producing a net loss of $122,967 in July, according to Chuck Reynolds, Finance Manager. “We sold 29 percent less water than budgeted,” Reynolds said. Water (-26.1 percent), electric (-7.0 percent) and sewer (-20.0 percent) sales were down comparable to July 2012. Natural gas sales were up 9.8 percent.
“The consumer is benefiting from this good weather we are having,” Commissioner Perry Williams said. However, CPW customers may be asked to make up any loss at the end of the fiscal year with higher rates in 2014.
• CPW received an AWOP (Area Wide Optimization Program) award for the sixth consecutive year. The program promotes utilities making good water. “Our water is at or below the range DHEC sets, which is already a high standard,” said Brad Nelson, CPW Water Plant Manager.
• The canopy over the compressed natural gas fast-fill remains to be installed. The foundations are being installed.