A member of President Biden’s Cabinet joined local officials Thursday to tout a $1.5 billion rail yard project at the Port of Long Beach, construction of which begins this summer to expand rail storage capacity, accommodate more trains and reduce emissions.
Local, state and federal agencies have provided about $643 million for the project, including a roughly $283 million megagrant from the Department of Transportation. The remainder will be funded by port revenues and, officials hope, more grants.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, local lawmakers and port officials arrived at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on a train pulled by an electric locomotive. They addressed a crowd of about 400 attendees, including port staff, union workers, local politicians and state representatives.
“This project builds a rail network at the port that triples the volume of cargo that can be transported by rail to nearly 5 million containers a year — the kind of throughput that will keep America’s economy moving and lower costs, with benefits to every part of this country,” Buttigieg said.
The expansion will increase the existing Pier B rail yard's footprint from 82 acres to 171 and will extend along portions of the 710 Freeway. The project, which will be built in segments, is expected to be completed in 2032.
Port Executive Director Mario Cordero and others said the project will have long-term effects on Long Beach and its neighboring Port of Los Angeles, which together account for about 40 percent of U.S. container imports from Asia.
“If we talk to customers, shippers and stakeholders, this is a gateway,” Cordero said of ports. “It’s critical that we maximize the way we collaborate.”
The Port of Los Angeles recently completed a $73 million rail expansion project to similarly improve cargo flow and reduce emissions.
Cordero said the Long Beach project will help ease congestion in surrounding neighborhoods and the 710 Freeway by allowing trains to move faster through the area to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a goal pushed by community advocates.
“We are doing everything we can to address environmental pressure,” he said.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), who has followed the project since he was mayor of Long Beach, believes it will create jobs and improve air quality.
“This will be transformative: it is the largest green port project in the United States,” he said.
