The New Haven Port Authority held its monthly meeting on Thursday evening, reviewing the progress made on several projects over the past year.

Judi Scheiffele, the executive director of the New Haven Port Authority, updated the board on key initiatives such as the reconstruction of Waterfront Street, the restoration of breakwaters damaged by Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy, and the ongoing dredging of the harbor channel.

“It’s incredible how much we’ve achieved,” said Katharine Goodbody, one of the Port Authority commissioners who chaired the meeting.

Attendees were particularly enthusiastic about the progress of the dredging project, a vital effort to deepen the waterway by removing material from the harbor floor. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading the maintenance dredging of the New Haven Harbor channel, aiming to restore it to its authorized depth of 35 feet.

The dredging effort has been ongoing for over five years. In 2009, the Army Corps conducted a preliminary study of the channel’s sediment to determine the disposal location and costs, according to the New Haven Register.

Ralph Gogliettino, an advisor to the Port Authority and president of Port Security Services, which operates out of New Haven, discussed the challenges involved in the dredging process. He noted concerns from marine pilots about potential access issues caused by dredging vessels in the channel.

Currently, the dredged material is being deposited at the Central Long Island Sound Disposal Site, an area approximately 11 square kilometers in size and located about six and a half miles south of East Haven, as per a January 2013 public notice from the New England District of the Army Corps.

According to Scheiffele’s annual report distributed during the meeting, dredging of the main channel is expected to be completed by mid-February. Afterward, the focus will shift to dredging areas closer to the shore.

Scheiffele, along with representatives from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, also discussed the ongoing reconstruction of Waterfront Street. This street runs parallel to the channel and provides road access for terminal operators. The project is part of the port authority’s Strategic Land Use Plan from May 2007, which includes extending railroad tracks to the port. Aluminum gangways are also being considered to improve access points at the terminals.

Waterfront Street is expected to be fully reconstructed by spring, allowing for the construction of additional railroad tracks.

The board unanimously approved the minutes from last year’s meeting and an updated budget extending through June 2014. The meeting concluded with a motion to enter executive session to discuss property acquisition and a property assessment appeal.