The Port of Long Beach (POLB) will receive US$283 million from the federal government to assist in building “America’s Green Gateway”, a rail project that will enable the Californian port to move more cargo by trains, speeding deliveries across the entire national supply chain, easing congestion and lessening local environmental impacts.
The funding was awarded for the Port’s Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Mega Grant Program. The US$1.567 billion project is the centerpiece of the Port’s on-dock rail construction improvements.
When the new facility opens, no cargo trucks will visit, says POLB. Instead, smaller train segments will be brought to the facility and joined together into a full-sized train.
Mario Cordero, CEO of Port of Long Beach, commented, “This is a facility that will help move cargo more efficiently to homes and businesses across America, and from US producers to overseas markets, resulting in systemwide benefits to the supply chain.”
“This is a home run and significant investment for Long Beach and trade across the country,” said U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia. “This grant will create over 1,000 local jobs and 13,000 jobs across the country. As the former mayor of Long Beach I know how impactful this project will be to supporting the supply chain while reducing harmful pollution for families here at home.”
Due to the importance of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility to the national supply chain, Port of Long Beach continues to seek funding partners for the project. The California State Transportation Agency – CalSTA – in July 2023 announced a grant of US$158 million from the Port and Freight Infrastructure Program to help fund the Pier B project as an important part of the state’s cargo movement strategy. The federal government previously awarded almost US$105 million to the project.
To date, the Port of Long Beach has secured more than US$640 million in grant funding for Pier B.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson stated, “The Pier B Rail project represents a vital infrastructure investment that will improve the Port of Long Beach’s sustainability and efficiency, bringing us up to 35% on-dock rail capacity in our terminals and improving the air quality for our residents.”
Construction works are expected to begin next year. The new facility will more than double the size of the existing Pier B rail yard from 332,000 m² to 692,000 m² and more than triple the volume of on-dock rail cargo the Port can handle annually, from 1.5 million to 4.7 million TEUs.
“Moving more cargo with less environmental impact is the focal point of our approach to business,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bobby Olvera Jr. “The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, ‘America’s Green Gateway,’ will do this while easing traffic on regional roads and improving air quality. It’s also vital to help meet the environmental goals outlined in the Clean Air Action Plan.”
The yard will feature a depot for fueling and servicing up to 30 locomotives at the same time and a full-service staging area to assemble and break down trains up to 10,000 feet long. The overall project will be built in phases, each improving cargo flow, with completion by 2032.
