California port to invest US$1bn in rail

The Port of Long Beach, which is currently undertaking a project to reconfigure, expand and enhance its existing Pier B rail facility, announced the rail cash boost at its annual State of the Port event.

“Over the next decade, the Port also plans to invest an additional $1 billion in rail improvements that will speed the flow of goods across the country while reducing local road traffic,” executive director Mario Cordero announced.

The port is redeveloping the Pier B facility to support more efficient use of “on-dock” rail at the port’s shipping terminals, and in turn ease road traffic congestion and improve air quality.

The project, approved in January 2018, will include reconfiguring existing tracks and adding additional tracks to allow trains up to 10,000 feet long to be loaded and unloaded at on-dock rail facilities at marine terminals, to streamline rail operations, remove bottlenecks, and reduce the need for local truck trips.

To date, the port has received US$26.3m in grant funds. Metro awarded US$10m to the project under Measure R, I-710 Early Action Fund Program. Additionally, the port received US$16.3m in federal transportation bill funding managed by Metro and Caltrans.

In addition to switching trucks and equipment at the port from diesel to electric, construction is scheduled to wrap up in 2021 on the final phase of the Long Beach Container Terminal, creating what the port believes will be the greenest, most technologically advanced terminal in North America.