Port of Los Angeles completes $73M rail expansion project

The Port of Los Angeles has completed a $73 million rail expansion project in San Pedro, aimed at enhancing cargo flow, cutting down emissions, and improving roadway safety. Officials announced on Wednesday that the project is expected to significantly increase the efficiency of the port’s Pier 400 on-dock rail yard and benefit all terminal operators.

“This $73 million rail project will increase cargo efficiency while reducing emissions—a cornerstone of the port’s blueprint for sustainable growth,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, in a statement.

The newly completed construction commenced in 2021 and has added 31,000 linear feet of track, five new railroad storage tracks, a lit concrete rail bridge, an asphalt roadway, new crossovers and turnouts, and improvements to a compressed air system. The project also involved the relocation of a section of the lead track onto Port of Los Angeles property, the realignment of a track connection to the rail storage yard, alterations to Reeves Avenue, and the relocation of a crossing from Nimitz Avenue to Reeves Avenue, officials said.

The Port of Los Angeles was awarded a grant of $21.6 million by the California Trade Corridor Enhancement Program to support the project, with the remaining $51.6 million covered by the port itself.

The expansion is intended to act as an essential connection between the San Pedro Bay port complex and the Alameda Corridora vital artery that handles approximately 10% of all waterborne containers entering and exiting the United States. The port anticipates rail demand to increase with the project, potentially eliminating approximately 1,200 truck trips per day by 2040, thereby alleviating road congestion and reducing air pollution.

“Thanks to the port’s significant investment in rail infrastructure, APM Terminals will be able to handle increased volumes of intermodal cargo with greater efficiency across a wider variety of inland locations,” said Jon Poelma, managing director of APM Terminals Los Angeles Pier 400, in a statement. “This strategic upgrade enhances the Port of L.A.’s attractiveness as a gateway for cargo owners who rely on fast, efficient, and well-connected supply chains to serve their customers.”