SEPTEMBER 16, 2013 — U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has designated two new Marine Highways.

The Occoquan, Potomac, and Anacostia Rivers make up the first, designated as the "M-495 Marine Highway Crossing." It is sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. This marine highway connects ports in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Maryland for passenger services.

The upper Missouri River is the second of the newly designated Marine Highway. Designated, as the "M-29 Marine Highway Connector," it is sponsored by the Port Authority of Kansas City, Missouri, andconnects the upper Missouri River between Kansas City, Missouri, and Sioux City, Iowa.

A marine highway is a designated route for transporting cargo on water, reducing pollution and congestion on roads.  Since 2009, the Department of Transportation has designated 21 Marine Highway routes, and invested $130 million in projects supporting Marine Highway services. In addition to highlighting the role waterways play in moving freight throughout the region, designated Marine Highways receive preferential treatment for any future federal assistance from the Department or MARAD.