VIDALIA — The Louisiana legislature has earmarked $4.25 million for future capital to outlay funding for the Vidalia port project.

The funds, dedicated during the recent legislative session, were marked as Priority 5, meaning they won’t be released for some time. Money isn’t released until it reaches Priority 1.

Vidalia Port Director Wyly Gilfoil said the funds are dedicated for future phases of the port, which is currently under construction.

The current phase includes the construction of an embankment and a road connecting Louisiana 131 to the Mississippi River. It will also include the installation of utilities and a conveyer system.

“The river has come up and stayed up a little bit longer than normal, so we are just waiting for it to go down now where we can resume work,” Gilfoil said.

The embankment is 95 percent complete, and once it is completed the port will extend the utilities down to the river and start advertising for bids for the conveyer and an associated dump pit, he said.

“It is possibly as late as September or October before we can get back and work the dirt, so we are looking at mid-year to third quarter next year for it being operational,” Gilfoil said.

“With the pile supported conveyer, they can stand more water in doing that job than the one they are trying to do right now.”

The second phase of the port project will include digging the slackwater slip.

The port project also has funding requests into the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Developments Port Priority Program.

“That program currently has a four-year backlog, so it would be four years before we get that money,” Gilfoil said.

The total estimated cost for the port as proposed is approximately $20 million.