West Sacramento, CA – The inland Port of West Sacramento is centered in one of the world’s richest agricultural regions and is home to a transportation network where new freight rail projects are allowing the port to increase business and efficiency. These new rail projects will also help drive job creation.
A 4,700-foot rail extension and railroad track loop are helping the port move a larger number of goods more efficiently while attracting new business. “The completed $2 million rail extension links the port to the new Cemex cement and aggregate import facility, and was built through a public/private partnership between the city of West Sacramento, Cemex and the Sierra Northern Railway,” said Port Manager Mike Luken.
“Another important step in further strengthening our role as a competitive northern California goods-movement hub is adding a railroad loop track to the port’s rail infrastructure,” noted Mike McGowan, chairman of the West Sacramento Port Commission. Adding that, “The port is part of the new Marine Highway linking container barge service between the sister ports of Oakland and Stockton.”
The barge service will help reduce truck traffic, eliminating one million truck trips, providing congestion relief on Interstate 80. Most of the containers delivered by barge will move into commerce via rail.
The revival at the Port of West Sacramento is also creating jobs. West Coast Recycling Group, LLC. has 65 positions at the port and several new businesses are relocating and bringing their employees.
The expansion project received $960,000 in funding from the Federal Railroad Administration. The port also recently made upgrades to the Washington Overpass Bridge to allow six axel unit trains by increasing the capacity from 268,000 lbs to 286,000 lbs. The port is also home to a new crane, which can lift 125 metric tons or 273,000 lbs meaning local shippers can now bring their containers to West Sacramento as opposed to driving them all the way to Oakland every day.
