
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay has been awarded nearly $4 million in Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program funding for an overpass project and safety enhancements at a nearby rail crossing, the port announced Jan. 16.
This funding, which comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation, is expected to pay for the design and engineering costs of a new overpass crossing along Oregon Highway 38, as well as rail crossing safety improvements in Reedsport, Ore., the port said.
“This grant will give us the opportunity to further explore options for mitigating the potential effects of increased rail traffic here in Reedsport,” Reedsport City Manager Deanna Schafer said. “We look forward to collaborating with the Port of Coos Bay and ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) to continue the planning and engineering of potential rail crossings upgrades.”
The overpass and safety improvements complement the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port ship-to-rail project, which calls for building a multi-modal container facility on the North Spit in Coos County. The container facility, when completed, would be able to handle 1.2 million TEUs annually.
“This is an important step in building the foundation for a modern, multimodal transportation hub on the South Coast,” Melissa Cribbins, executive director of the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project, said. “With this funding, our congressional delegation continues its laudable effort to bring federal dollars to help facilitate local solutions.”