The US Maritime Administration has released a draft study on environmental impacts of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, according to the Port of Long Beach.
In a statement, the Port of Long Beach said its officials initiated the process for the report a Draft Environmental Impact Study, to make the project eligible for federal grant funding.
The public has 45 days to submit comments on the Draft EIS before the close of the comment period on 24 August 2020.
Located southwest of Anaheim Street and the 710 Freeway, the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility would shift more cargo to ‘on-dock rail’, which places containers directly on trains at marine terminals. Currently, the ability to build long trains is limited.
The Pier B facility would change this by providing track space to join together trains assembled at terminals, the Port of Long Beach said. #
No cargo trucks would visit the facility as a 1-mile-long train can take as many as 2,000 trucks off the roadways.
Phase 1 rail work is slated to begin at the start of 2022 and be completed in 2024, doubling the capacity of the existing Pier B rail yard.
Street realignments and other component projects will continue to improve operations as they are finished. The project is scheduled for full completion in 2032.
