The Port of Long Beach (POLB) is boosting its on-dock rail capacity with a US$93m project that promises to eliminate up to 750 truck trips from regional roadways with every on-dock rail train.
The ‘Green Port Gateway’ project saw almost six miles of new track laid, allowing port terminals to increase their use of on-dock rail and decreasing truck traffic and air pollution in and around the port.
POLB’s upgraded rail network is part of a broader modernisation programme to strengthen the port’s competitiveness and reduce port-related impacts to the environment with US$1bn committed for more rail projects over the next 10 years.
Compared to trucks, the port says trains emit one-third less greenhouse gases on a tonne-mile basis.
The California State Transportation Agency, California Transportation Commission and CalTrans helped with US$23.1m from the state’s Proposition 1B Trade Corridor Improvement Fund. The US Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration assisted with US$17m from the TIGER III program (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery).