A construction project that began on Friday will create jobs on Staten Island, reduce traffic and improve the environment within the next two years. Borough Reporter Amanda Farinacci filed the following report.

Shovels went in the ground Friday at the ground-breaking of a new import cement terminal in Port Richmond, which will create more than 100 permanent jobs for Staten Island and allow for cement to be imported and distributed by water in and around New York City.

"Because we won't be relying on trucks to transport all the cement that is utilized in any construction project anywhere in the metropolitan region, we're going to be able to reduce the cost of construction," said State Senator Diane Savino.

Up to now, Staten Island Terminal supplied cement to the metropolitan area using trucks many residents say clog the borough's roads and bridges, creating traffic and environmental concerns.

The new $50 million terminal, which was privately funded, will be the largest of its kind in New York State, thanks to a partnership with Peruvian company Cementos Lima, one of the largest cement plants in the Western Hemisphere.

The terminal will ship cement by boat, leading to less congestion on the roads.

"We're an island, and why not use this greatest asset that we have - our waterways - to transport materials as we have with people at the ferry," said Congressman Mike McMahon. "So by doing this, cement will move through the borough and the city by water. What a great idea."

The new terminal will be eco-friendly, creating 100 permanent union jobs during the construction phase and 25 more when the facility is fully operational.

"Thousands of people unemployed on Staten Island, that translates into millions of dollars not going into our economy," said Borough President James Molinaro. "To see this happening on Staten Island at this particular time should be encouraging to everyone."

"Rebuilding this import terminal, which will consist of a pier in the water, a 650-feet-long concrete pier in the water and a dome to hold our cement," said Dick Sabatini of the Staten Island Terminal. "And the dome will be about 15 stories high and hold 50,000 tons of cement."

The site could be up and running sometime in 2011.