The Port of Long Beach marked a significant milestone today in California's quest for a revitalized supply chain, as officials broke ground on the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility. In a convergence of state and federal commitments to infrastructure, the project, tagged 'America's Green Gateway,' heralds a major capacity boost for the port's freight rail while simultaneously slashing pollution by millions of tons each year. Governor Gavin Newsom's office relayed that nearly $250 million in state funding has been funneled into the $1.5 billion endeavor. "This project exemplifies our work to create jobs, cut pollution, eliminate bottlenecks and build a more dynamic supply chain – faster," Newsom's administration highlighted.

According to a statement from U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the efforts to forge a stauncher, more resilient supply chain have been bolstered by the Biden-Harris Administration's historic funding measures. "Today, work starts on a rail network that triples cargo volume, keeps costs down, and reduces pollution – and it’s all because of the historic funding made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration," Buttigieg stated. The Port of Long Beach, a vital hub processing $200 billion in trade annually, has reportedly received over $300 million in federal grants stemming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Boasting record trade volumes, with a June performance surging 41% over last year's figures, the Port of Long Beach continues to epitomize the largesse and bustling activity characteristic of America’s trade landscape. Concurrently, the neighboring Port of Los Angeles posted a 14% year-over-year increase, evidencing the robust health of the San Pedro Bay ports complex, responsible for moving 30% of the nation's container freight.

These developments ride on the back of a sprawling $1.2 billion investment in port and freight infrastructure unveiled by Governor Newsom in the previous year, a sum that included the largest grant for the Pier B project. The revamp at the Port of Long Beach is a far-reaching effort expected to remove an estimated 146 million truck miles traveled per year once completed, according to figures provided by the Governor's office. Further, the expansion, covering 171 acres, will elevate the capacity to handle 4.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually—over three times the current volume of cargo managed through on-dock rail facilities.

Side by side with the state’s investment, the port's strategic facelift is also supported by funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including a $283 million Mega grant and a $52.6 million Port Infrastructure Development Program grant, according to news obtained by the U.S. Department of Transportation's press release. This nexus of collaborative efforts ensures that one of America's most significant supply chain nodes not only remains operational but thrives amidst evolving global trade demands.