The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday unanimously agreed to put out a call for construction bids on a planned rail project designed to increase operational efficiency at the Port of Long Beach.
The Commission is scheduled to award a construction contract by December on the Double Track Access from Pier G to J Project, which aims to provide greater efficiency for on-dock rail. It also aims to increase local roadway efficiency by shifting more cargo to rail.
Construction is scheduled to start in fall 2020 on the project, which will add a new 9,000-foot mainline track to better accommodate trains serving four terminals in the south basin region of the Port of Long Beach.
By the time construction is completed in fall 2021, the project will allow for better utilization of the on-dock rail yards at Piers G and J by enabling them to simultaneously handle arriving and departing trains. It will also minimize conflict with neighboring terminals’ on-dock rail operations and improve overall safety in the vicinity.
“The Double Track Access from Pier G to J Project is part of our ongoing efforts to improve the Port so that Long Beach remains globally competitive and environmentally sustainable well into the future,” said Bonnie Lowenthal, President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners.
As a vital piece of the Port’s $1 billion rail infrastructure capital improvement program over the next decade, the project will increase rail efficiency at Piers G and J up to 25 percent.
The $25 million project will be partially funded by a $14 million grant from the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program, which helps pay for improvements to freight corridors across California using designated transportation funds from Senate Bill 1 and the National Highway Freight Program. The Port will contribute the remaining $11 million for the project.
“This project will increase rail efficiency at the Port, allowing us to enhance our operational excellence while decreasing impacts on the surrounding communities,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach.
