Channel dredging project in Puerto Rico enters final phase

Puerto Rico’s Governor Jenniffer González-Colón has announced the final phase of the Caño Martín Peña Restoration Project with the commencement of Phase 1 of Contract 3, entailing an investment of USD 57.4 million.

Contract 3 was awarded on September 30, 2025, to Novel Construction LLC, with an investment of USD 57.4 million funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, enacted in 2021. Overall, more than USD163 million in federal funding was secured to advance the construction of this project.

The Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project involves dredging approximately 2.2 miles of the channel to achieve a width of 100 feet and a depth of 10 feet, reconnecting the lagoon system with San Juan Bay.

”The restoration of Caño Martín Peña will continue changing lives. As Resident Commissioner, I made it a priority to advance this project and fight for the resources needed to bring it to fruition. Working alongside community leaders and federal agencies, we secured more than $163 million for the construction phase, which includes the dredging component. Now, as Governor, seeing this new phase begin with those same funds reaffirms that when we lead with vision and determination, results follow,” Governor González-Colón added.

The project has two non-federal sponsors: the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) and the ENLACE Caño Martín Peña Project Corporation. Cost-sharing is structured at 65% federal and 35% non-federal funding.

Contract 3 – Phase 1 includes the development of a temporary work area on land at Roberto Clemente Sports City; preparation of aquatic disposal sites in San José Lagoon; protective measures for the Moscoso and Barbosa bridges; and dredging and channelization of sections of the Caño Martín Peña, among other activities. The work is expected to take approximately five years, extending through 2030.

”With the start of this work, we are strengthening the infrastructure necessary to ensure that dredging and the revitalization of this waterway finally become a tangible reality that transforms the quality of life for our people,” said Mario Núñez Mercado, Executive Director of the ENLACE Caño Martín Peña Project Corporation.

The Caño Martin Peña restoration project is described as critical for the revitalization of eight impoverished communities of over 20,000 habitants settled along the Martín Peña tidal channel, and restoration of this system is expected to significantly improve human health and safety in the area by reducing residents’ frequent contact with highly polluted floodwaters. The CMP project is located in underserved, rural areas of Puerto Rico.