Civil Municipal View Feb2023

113 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 report that they’ve assisted 400 residents in its inaugural year. Half of those enrolled gained employment upon completing their coursework. These results could only be accomplished by working hand-in-hand with the pivotal players in the city. With so much success in the program launch phase, there are plans to expand. “We’re in talks with the Naval Shipyard to establish apprenticeship programs aimed for young folks leaving high school who want to be involved in skilled trades,” says Donahue. Infrastructure is critical because Portsmouth is vital to the nation’s supply chain network. Recently, the city secured a RAISE grant for $19.2 million for Portsmouth’s High Street corridor. This funding will be utilized to upgrade roadways and create pedestrian and bike-friendly route within the city’s newly created Innovation district. Management is still seeking additional federal and state funding to complete different projects. If successful, these bonds and funds will be used to upgrade infrastructure throughout the city and stormwater utilities. Regarding technology, the City of Portsmouth was an early adopter of high-speed connectivity and constructed its own fiber ring. “Portsmouth invested $10 million into a local fiber ring a couple of years ago. This has allowed services and businesses to tap into the network and leverage it to great success. I’ve been told that our internet speeds are so fast you can download the Library of Congress in about 30 seconds,” says Glover. In terms of green initiatives, with electric vehicles becoming more popular around the country, the city has yet to have in-depth discussions with the Commonwealth of Virginia about funding to construct charging stations and the legislative requirements around those issues. But one environmental project for the port PORTSMOUTH , V I RGINI A