VIDALIA — The City of Vidalia recently received some good news about a project they have been trying to bring to the area for the past 16 years.

With a little bit of adjusting, the city was able to secure nearly $1 million in grants from the Economic Development Administration to bring a port to Vidalia.

Concordia Parish Economic and Industrial Development District Executive Director Heather Malone said the grant will require the EDA to pay 80 percent of the cost, with Vidalia responsible for the remaining 20 percent, or $250,000.

“We had to change what we wanted to do on the project a little bit,” she said. “But $250,000 is a lot better than what we were originally looking at having to pay.”

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said the first phase of the port project was originally estimated to cost $1.6 million, and the higher cost meant the city was going to have to pay a higher percentage of the project.

Those plans included a road from the port to the western side of Louisiana 131 near the Vidalia Industrial Park.

The original grant was going to have Vidalia paying 45 percent of the amount, or a cost of roughly $800,000, Malone said.

To avoid the high costs, Copeland said the city cut approximately $400,000 off the project, and the EDA decided to take on a higher percentage of the grant.

The new plans include a short port connector road which goes to the east side of 131.

Copeland said Vidalia is working with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to procure the $250,000 the city owes for their share of the grant.

“We don’t have the final word on that, but I feel like we are going to be able to receive those funds,” he said.

Copeland said the $1.2 million will go toward the first phase of the project, which will include building a concrete road from Louisiana 131 to the base of the levee.

The mayor said advertising for the first phase began Wednesday, and by the middle of August the city should be opening bids.

Copeland said construction should begin within a few weeks of awarding the bid.

Copeland said the next phase of the estimated $15 million project will take the road over the levee.

“We already have the funding for that,” he said.

At a cost of $1.6 million, Copeland said the second phase will be paid for with money the city received from a grant years ago.

“We almost have $3 million in grants already for the project,” he said.

Copeland said the port will continue to be built in phases, and he expects the entire project to be complete within the next two to three years.