A massive rail project at Long Beach’s port complex on the Westside has fallen behind schedule, leaving some frustrated with the lag. https://f5645bce7092785bafa908a427ef0106.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html – ADVERTISEMENT –
The Port of Long Beach is still waiting for the U.S. Maritime Administration to approve an Environmental Impact Statement for the $870 million Pier B On-Dock Support Facility, which would reconfigure 171 acres of land southwest of Anaheim Street and the 710 Freeway to improve cargo movement.
It’s been a lengthy environmental review process with the Maritime Administration, known as MARAD, as it prepared the EIS, circulated the EIS for review and is now preparing the final EIS and record of decision on the project, Port of Long Beach Deputy Chief Harbor Engineer Mark Erickson said at a recent meeting.
The port needs federal approval because it is receiving about $16 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Erickson said in an email the project is eligible for future money from the federal government intended to pay for construction.
“We’ve lost, by my estimation, at least a year on what the original plan was, and that has cost us money. When we talked to MARAD, we made that apparent to them,” Erickson said. The port has asked if the federal agency could expedite their review.
MARAD did not respond to emails and calls requesting for comment.
To learn more about the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility project or to sign up for upcoming port updates and meetings, click here.