On October 9, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay (Port) received Grant Advance Notification from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) of an award of approximately $10 million through the Port Infrastructure and Development Program. On October 19, a grant agreement was fully executed between the port and the Maritime Administration which is the regulatory body that will be responsible for administering the grant funds.
This project will include comprehensive replacement of crossties and resurface main line, sidings, an industrial lead, rail yard and spur tracks with ballast along the majority of the 121 miles of track that stretches from Eugene to Coos Bay, Oregon.
The successful award of these funds is reflective of the hard work, dedication, and collaborative efforts of port staff, as well as the tireless support of the south coast’s delegation in Washington D.C. through Senators Wyden and Merkley and Representative DeFazio.
“The support of our delegation in Washington was critical to the port receiving this PIDP grant award,” stated John Burns, Port CEO. “Their continued efforts, support, and advocacy have been paramount to the CBRL’s improvement and success”.
The PIDP tie and surfacing project will be instrumental in promoting the overall health of the track infrastructure and will provide a critical step in increasing train speeds, efficiency, safety, and reliability. The next step in this process will be development of bid documents to solicit contracted construction services to complete the work.
The port is also currently working on a steel bridge rehabilitation project that is funded through a $20 million BUILD award through the Department of Transportation, which will be matched by a $5 million grant approved by the Oregon State Legislature in 2019. This project will result in major rehabilitative work to 15 steel bridges, including all three swing span bridges.
The Coos Bay Rail Line serves industrial freight shippers throughout Coos, Douglas, and Lane Counties in rural Oregon. The line interchanges in Eugene at the Union Pacific rail yard, facilitating inbound and outbound rail traffic from across North America. Freight rail offers a cost-competitive transportation alternative, keeping local industry strong and promoting future economic growth in our region. These businesses support approximately 800 jobs in rural communities with family wage jobs.