Groundbreaking began at “America’s Green Gateway,” celebrating a project that will double the footprint of the existing rail yard from 82 acres to 171 acres and create more than 1,100 quality union jobs through construction.
The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility is a $1.567 billion endeavor that will define the future of cargo movement at the Port of Long Beach. It will be built in phases, each enhancing cargo movement, with construction scheduled for completion by 2032. The project will more than triple the port’s capacity for on-dock rail to 4.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units per year. On-dock rail cargo is moved directly to and from marine terminals by trains, reducing emissions and stress on the local and regional road network.
“Today, work starts on a rail network that triples cargo volume, keeps costs down, and reduces pollution – and it’s all because of the historic funding made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration,” says U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “Through projects like America’s Green Gateway and the hundreds of other supply chain improvements we’re making across the country, we’re making our supply chains more robust and resilient in the face of any potential future disruptions.” “The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility will add 130,000 feet of new tracks, build 36 new support tracks and more than double the number of trains leaving the port to 17 per day,” says Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “These improvements will benefit the entire U.S. supply chain and get us closer to the operational and environmental transformation into a zero-emissions port.”
Key takeaways:
- The Port of Long Beach won $643 million in grant funding from federal, state and local transportation agencies for the project. The federal government alone has awarded $404.1 million, while the state of California invested $228.8 million and Los Angeles County $10 million.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for California by modernizing the ports that power our economy, enhancing the reliability and capacity of rail operations, and creating good-paying jobs,” says U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). “This funding is a win for our economy and our environment. The Port of Long Beach’s on-dock rail expansion project will slash emissions and reduce air pollution in near-port communities while creating a more efficient gateway into our national supply chain.”
