New London — U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy hosted a group of local stakeholders on Friday, welcoming ideas for just how a major investment in the country’s infrastructure might benefit the Port of New London.

Murphy and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined Senate Democrats last month to unveil a $1 trillion transportation infrastructure investment plan to rebuild roads, rails, bridges, and other critical infrastructure projects over the next 10 years. That plan would include $65 billion to modernize ports, airports and waterways.

Murphy, a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, asked the 50 people on hand at a roundtable at the Public Library of New London on Friday for a wish list of sorts, should money become available.

“This is a moment when we have an opportunity to sell what you guys are planning here in New London,” Murphy said.

On hand were members of the Connecticut Port Authority, New London Mayor Michael Passero, Groton Mayor Marian Galbraith, Commanding Officer of Naval Submarine Base New London Capt. Paul Whitescarver and a host of other officials.

Thoughts on the subject were varied: everything from an expansion of tourism efforts and parking opportunities to dredging in the river to accommodate larger ships at State Pier. The state Bond Commission recently approved $4.5 million for infrastructure improvements there.

Most agreed that the region should take advantage of the ongoing growth of both the U.S. Navy sub base in Groton and Electric Boat facilities in Groton and New London.

Galbraith said her city is looking to forward finishing a project with the Thames River Heritage Park, a water taxi service that moves people back and forth between Groton and New London. A big draw for that attraction would be a connection with The Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton and the future National Coast Guard Museum in New London. Galbraith said a dock needs to be established at the Nautilus.

“That’s a really important connection for us in this effort to move people around using the river and using the harbor,” Galbraith said.

Local commercial fisherman Mike Theiler said that the fishing fleet in New London often gets overlooked. “Believe it or not New London lands the most volume of seafood out of any port in the state," he said. "Most people don’t realize that because they look along the waterfront and they don’t see a public facility because there isn’t one.”

Murphy said whether or not there will be new investment in the country’s infrastructure on the scale that Democrats have proposed and President Donald Trump has talked about is still a large unknown.

“We have a better chance to get this done than a lot of other things,” Murphy said. “Partnering it together with the development of the (Connecticut Port Authority), and with some of these new economic opportunities that are popping up with the activity at EB and the sub base, it feels like it’s coming together at the right time.”

g.smith@theday.com