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Coos Bay Port Gears Up for Massive Container Terminal
30 Oct
Summary
- Design work for a major container terminal at Coos Bay Port is starting.
- The project received another $204.8 million in federal funding.
- Increased train traffic from two trips weekly to 12 daily is anticipated.
Design work is commencing for a transformative project that intends to establish the Port of Coos Bay as a major international container terminal on the West Coast. This initiative has recently received a substantial boost with an additional $204.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, part of a larger $2.3 billion goal.
The current phase involves seeking proposals for engineering firms to assess the rail line's capacity between Coos Bay and Eugene and to study potential project impacts. This crucial design phase will address community concerns regarding increased train traffic, which is expected to surge from two trips per week to twelve per day, carrying consumer goods. The port anticipates operating 24/7.
This significant federal funding, along with prior state and federal investments, brings the project's total secured funding to $460 million. Officials expect this to accelerate fundraising, particularly through federal railroad loans, which will be matched by the grants. The funds will support final design, right-of-way acquisition, and initial railroad upgrades.
Selected firms will evaluate the rail line's infrastructure, conduct environmental impact studies, and perform traffic analyses. The estimated completion for designs is January 2028, with permitting and construction anticipated to follow, projecting the creation of 2,500 permanent jobs.
