Port of L.A. receives grant for program that will cost truckers jobs

The Port of Los Angeles recently received a $21 million grant that paves the way for a major rail project. What does that mean for truckers? Less work.

On Wednesday, Oct. 24, the Port of Los Angeles announced that it had received a $21.6 million grant from the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program. The money will help fund a $34 million rail project, the Terminal Island Railyard Enhancement Project.

According to a Port of Los Angeles news release, the project will add more than 31,000 linear feet of rail on Terminal Island. This will increase the number of storage tracks from six to 11. Capacity at the Pier 400 on-dock railyard will increase by about 10 percent.

Ultimately, the Pier 400 capacity increase will come from off-dock yards located between 11 and 27 miles away to on-dock facilities at the port. As a result, truck freight will be reduced. By a lot.

The Port of Los Angeles estimates that the project will eliminate approximately 1,250 truck trips per day by 2040. Reducing truck traffic was a main goal of the project. Taking trucks off of nearby highways, including Interstate 710 and Interstate 110, will result in less congestion on local streets and freeways. Additionally, fewer trucks in the area will reduce tailpipe emissions, another core goal of the plan.

“Maximizing our rail network is vital to operating America’s cleanest, most competitive seaport,” said Harbor Commission President Jaime Lee in a statement. “The economic and environmental benefits extend to our customers, neighbors, regional transportation system and our nation.”

Now that the port has secured funding, it will move forward with plans. A construction contract will be awarded by June 2020, with the full completion of the project slated for early 2022.