By MICHELLE BEAHM | Staff Writer

The Port of Manchester is will be getting a new dock by the end of 2013.

The north dock, which is the one that will be replaced, was first installed in 1998, not long after its partner, the south dock. That one was replaced in January 2012 by the same company that will be doing the replacement of the north dock.

“It has outlived its service life,” said Dennis O’Connell, general manager of Manchester Water District.

O’Connell said that this project will not only provide safer access to boaters, but it also will be better for the environment.

“It replaces an existing wood frame dock and wood deck dock that is supported by old tires and Styrofoam,” he said. “It replaces it with a modern dock with recycled plastic lumber and great decking that allows light penetration.”

The new northern dock will be made to match the new southern one.

The construction will be done by Marine Floats of Tacoma, and will be completed mostly off-site.

“There will not be a construction project on site that lasts for months,” O’Connell said. “It will be done off-site and brought in with an anticipated one- or two-day installation at the port itself.”

O’Connell said that the main reason they want it done that way is to keep the disruption to the boaters who use the dock to a minimum.

This project is largely funded by the Recreation and Conservation Office, and more specifically their Boating Facilities program. They awarded funding to 10 boating projects this year, according to O’Connell, and they are providing funding for 75 percent of the project.

The funds come from gasoline sales taxes for off-road use, such as boats and other off-road vehicles, which is where the funding is supposed to go, according to O’Connell.

The new dock is expected to be installed before the end of the year.