This $19.8-million intermodal railyard expansion improved rail-to-dock operational efficiencies at the nation’s second-busiest port facility and took place within the port’s largest container terminal. Project scope featured 10,645 ft of new ballasted track, eight turnouts, three crossovers, 17,657 tons of ballast, removal of 2,460 ft of existing track, realignment and resurfacing of 1,089 ft of existing track and railway signal modifications. The contractor also installed 4,000 ft of siding track to connect two ends of the terminal facility by rail.

Challenges arose from working in a non-stop active port environment. Active freight trains continued operating 24 hours a day during construction, and the team was given one-day advance notice of train schedules. Work schedules shifted to accommodate tight work windows in response to as many as 15 one-mile-long trains daily in the project corridor. Careful coordination with the port operator on work windows and service shutdowns was critical.