NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — After 19 months of construction, the Port of Davisville's Pier 1 South has reopened.

Federal, state and local leaders joined the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.

QDC said more than 1,500 wooden pilings that had been supporting the pier since 1941 were replaced with new steel pilings and a concrete deck.

The pier's reconstruction is part of a $243 million development initiative to replace infrastructure built by the U.S. Navy. According to QDC, the construction will create about 1,100 new port jobs.

"The renovated Pier 1 will allow Quonset to meet rising demand for both automobile imports and offshore wind cargo and support vessel traffic," QDC Managing Director Steven King said.

As of Sept, 30, the Port of Davisville has recorded a 42% increase in auto imports for 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to the QDC. It's the only public port in Rhode Island and supports 1,600 jobs.

The project was funded in part by an $11.14 million Port Infrastructure Development Program grant from the U.S. Maritime Administration.

QDC said Senator Jack Reed helped helped lead the effort to establish funding for the program.

"As Quonset grows and diversifies, smart federal investments like this help unlock greater economic potential, better positioning Rhode Island for the future," Reed said. "The new Pier 1 South will ensure Quonset is ready to support more businesses and good-paying jobs for Rhode Islanders."

The next phase of the Pier 1 project is set to be completed by winter 2025 and the final phase is expected to wrap up in summer 2026.