Jacobs to manage $2.2B rail project at nation’s second largest port
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The Port of Long Beach has embarked on one of its most ambitious undertakings, expanding rail capacity as part of a $2.2 billion capital improvement program. Dallas-based Jacobs has been selected to manage construction of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, a decade-long initiative that will reshape freight movement in Southern California. The project signals a shift toward sustainable logistics, reduced congestion, and greater supply chain resilience at the second largest container port in the United States.
Inside the Pier B expansion and its scale
The Pier B project will more than double the size of the existing rail yard, expanding from 82 acres to 171 acres and increasing capacity to handle up to 4.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units each year. The expansion emphasizes on-dock rail, where cargo containers are loaded directly onto trains instead of being hauled by trucks on local roads.
The new facility will feature a full-service locomotive depot able to fuel and service up to 30 engines at once, along with staging tracks for trains up to 10,000 feet long. Direct links to the Alameda Corridor, a 20-mile freight rail expressway, will connect containers from Long Beach to the national rail network. By consolidating freight onto rail, the Pier B facility is expected to relieve congestion on Southern California highways and streamline cargo flow across the United States.
Cutting truck traffic and improving regional air quality
The environmental impact of the expansion is as critical as its scale. Shifting cargo from trucks to trains could eliminate millions of truck trips annually. A port study projected up to 4.6 million fewer truck trips each year, equivalent to removing 100 million truck miles.
Emissions cuts are central to the project’s goals. Forecasts point to reductions of 85 percent in diesel particulate matter, 80 percent in sulfur oxides, 64 percent in greenhouse gases, and 26 percent in nitrogen oxides compared with baseline trucking activity. These outcomes support the Clean Air Action Plan and extend the port’s long-standing efforts to reduce pollution in nearby neighborhoods.
The Port of Long Beach has already achieved significant progress. Since the adoption of the Green Port Policy in 2005, port-related emissions per 10,000 containers have dropped by as much as 98 percent. Nearly one-fifth of cargo-handling equipment now runs on zero-emissions technology, aided by more than $430 million invested through clean technology programs. The Pier B project continues this trajectory by addressing truck traffic, one of the largest contributors to port-area emissions.
Economic growth, local jobs, and supply chain resilience
The expansion will also deliver measurable economic gains. Construction is projected to create more than 1,000 jobs in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Once completed, the facility will reduce shipping costs and speed cargo movement, boosting the competitiveness of the Port of Long Beach and strengthening the regional economy.
The project’s significance extends nationwide. The port is a key entry point for goods destined for US markets, and the rail yard upgrade will improve supply chain resilience. By enabling more direct cargo transfers to long-haul rail, the facility will reduce dependence on trucking, limit exposure to highway congestion, and mitigate risks associated with fuel costs and labor shortages in long-distance trucking.
The Alameda Corridor serves as a backbone for this shift. Linking port terminals directly to Class I railroads, it ensures that efficiency gains at Pier B will be felt throughout the national freight system.
Jacobs’ role and track record in port infrastructure
Delivering a project of this magnitude requires advanced technical expertise and careful coordination. The Pier B expansion involves at least ten separate construction contracts, each covering a distinct element of the program. Jacobs has been tasked with integrating these components, maintaining schedules, and managing costs.
The company’s history with the Port of Long Beach includes designing Fireboat Station 20, a facility critical to emergency response. Jacobs has also supported waterfront resilience planning in San Francisco and infrastructure programs across the country. Its role at Pier B reflects its ability to manage complex projects that blend economic and environmental objectives.
For the port, selecting Jacobs reduces risk by ensuring that a single, experienced manager oversees the multiple phases of construction while aligning the work with broader sustainability goals.
The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility is scheduled for completion by 2032. Work will advance in stages, allowing the port to continue day-to-day operations while construction proceeds.
When operational, the expanded yard will represent more than a new facility. It will signal a new model for freight efficiency on the West Coast. By prioritizing rail, the port is demonstrating how maritime gateways can expand capacity while improving community health and reducing environmental impacts.