By Karen Robes Meeks
The Port of Los Angeles is moving forward with the Terminal Island Railyard Enhancement Project, which is expected to strengthen on-dock rail operations and cargo flow efficiency.
The expansion seeks to add more than 31,000 linear feet of track and increase the number of storage tracks from six to 11. It will also raise the Pier 400 on-dock rail yard capacity by up to 525,000 TEUs annually – a 10 percent overall capacity increase for the port.
The $34 million project is partially funded through a $21.6 million grant from the State Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 – Trade Corridor Enhancement Program. The remaining $12.4 million will come from the port.
“Expanding this rail yard creates a ripple effect of intermodal efficiencies within the Port of Los Angeles and throughout the entire San Pedro Bay port complex,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “It is a key element of regional and state transportation plans to improve safety and traffic conditions along some of our nation’s most crowded commuter and freight corridors.”
Boosting Pier 400 on-dock rail yard’s use and capacity will mean lowering truck trips to off-dock yards located 11 to 27 miles away from the port.
The expanded rail yard has the potential to take an estimated 1,250 truck trips off the road per day by 2040, according to the port.
