With a $100 million financing boost from the state of Oregon, a significant infrastructure project at the Port of Coos Bay is gaining traction and laying the groundwork for the establishment of the first fully ship-to-rail container port on the west coast. The goal of the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project is to build a container terminal that will eliminate the need for long-distance trucking by directly connecting ocean freight to inland markets by rail.
When finished, goods will be carried straight into the Coos Bay Rail Line, which links to Union Pacific’s mainline in Eugene, providing access to markets in the Midwest and beyond. The project has obtained federal backing through a number of awards from the US Department of Transportation in addition to the state financing. These monies will help with key infrastructure permits, terminal development, and rail enhancements. The project is expected to be finished within the next five years, even though it is still in its early phases, including the start of environmental permitting.
