Port of Long Beach revises environmental plans for Pier B rail project
The Port of Long Beach has released a recirculated draft supplemental environmental impact report (SEIR) covering proposed modifications to its Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility project, opening a new period of public consultation on changes to the rail infrastructure development.
The updated environmental review examines several adjustments to the existing project, including modifications to rail tracks, utility installations and removals, additional construction staging areas, pavement markings and signage. The proposed changes also include the closure of portions of Grant Street and Southern Pacific Drive in Wilmington.
A significant element of the revised plans involves the proposed demolition of the Berths D52–D54 transit shed at 555 N. Pico Avenue to accommodate the realignment of Pico Avenue. The building has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Revised plans include demolition of historic transit shed
The Port of Long Beach previously released a draft supplemental environmental impact report in September 2025 that evaluated the possibility of reconfiguring the transit shed rather than removing it entirely.
However, subsequent engineering work determined that partial demolition would not be economically or physically feasible without damaging the remaining structure. As a result, the updated proposal now includes full demolition of the building.
The recirculated report provides an opportunity for public review of the proposed modifications and their environmental implications before the relevant review process proceeds.
A virtual public meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2026, at 6 p.m. local time. Written comments will be accepted until December 9, 2026, at 4 p.m. local time.
Pier B project aims to expand on-dock rail capacity
The broader Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility is designed to strengthen rail freight connections at the Port of Long Beach by allowing more containers to move directly between marine terminals and the national railway network.
By expanding on-dock rail operations, the port aims to reduce reliance on truck movements for container transfers while improving the efficiency of inland cargo transportation.
According to the port’s project objectives, the facility is expected to triple Long Beach’s on-dock rail capacity and reduce rail dwell time from four days to approximately 24 hours by 2032.
These improvements are planned outcomes of the wider Pier B development rather than results of the newly proposed environmental modifications.
Construction of the facility began in 2024, with completion of the entire project currently expected in 2032.
The latest environmental review represents a further step in the project’s planning and implementation process, as the Port of Long Beach continues work on expanding its rail infrastructure and strengthening connections between maritime terminals and inland freight networks.
