Three projects in the region have received more than $2.7 million combined in funding from the Oregon Department of Transportations ConnectOregon IV grants.

The department awarded more than $40 million to support connections between Oregons highways and all other modes, including marine transport, aviation, public transit and rail.

The Port of Morrow received $850,000 for railroad track development. Gary Neal, the ports general manager, said the funds will help with extending more rail as part of the ports master plan.

This is part of the long-term master plan that our rail consultants have developed over the years, Neal said. The rail extensions will head north on the east side of Columbia Avenue at the port and near the RDO Calbee potato processing facility. The line will then go under the Lewis and Clark Road continuing north. Work will start before the end of the year, Neal said.

The total project cost is more than $3.5 million, with $2.6 million provided by the port in matching funds.

The Port of Umatilla received $1.6 million in funding for a 15,000 square-foot concrete tilt-up building on the ports container dock, according to general manager Kim Puzey. The projects total cost is $6.4 million and the port is providing a $4.7 million match.

Tidewater Terminal Company at the Port of Umatilla also received $325,000 for a terminal expansion project with a total cost of more than $930,000. Greg Zanavich, Tidewater Barge Lines business development manager, said the expansion at the Port of Umatilla will make safety upgrades at the dock and add another tank for the companys diesel and liquid fertilizer storage operation.

The majority of the funds are to add a storage tank into the system and give us the ability to increase the number of commodities we are able to handle, Zanavich said. There are various grades of diesel fuel and this gives us flexibility to store various grades of diesel fuel.

Contact Anna Willard at awillard@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4536.