L.A. Port - BNSF Aim at a Facility to Ease Congestion

Last November, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners gave approval to development of an area within an existing Classification Yard – between Sepulveda Blvd. and the Pacific Coast Highway – for creation of an intermodal facility. The site is located in an industrialized area, has enough acreage to serve the need and is accessible to both truck and rail traffic as well as the Alameda Corridor.

BNSF had expressed interest to the Board in developing just such a near-dock facility more than a year ago. Benefits claimed to support creation of the new intermodal facility include:

• Elimination of millions of truck miles annually from the Interstate 710 freeway, while allowing truck drivers to make shorter and more frequent trips;
• Under current operating practices, addition of approximately 800 to 1,000 new jobs, representing nearly $40 million in annual direct wages and benefits, and hundreds of millions of additional dollars in indirect economic impact;
• Critical new capacity to accommodate port growth while increasing use of the Alameda Corridor.

“The communities surrounding the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach can benefit directly from BNSF’s proposal,” says Rob Reilly, general manager of operations, Los Angeles. “The development of a new intermodal near-dock facility will alleviate traffic congestion, improve air quality and create local jobs.”

For its part, BNSF notes that, “This proposed facility is a critical component in addressing the challenges faced by the Ports and the region in balancing goods movement and economic growth. BNSF wishes to proceed as quickly as possible with the project.”