QUINCY, Wash., Feb. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The Port of Quincy is requesting $16.2 million in transportation funding from the Washington State Legislature to expand the infrastructure at its Intermodal Terminal to help restore critical domestic eastbound intermodal rail service for Central Washington fresh produce, perishable and frozen foods shippers.
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The Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal Infrastructure Expansion Project has received widespread support with dozens of shippers and organizations sending letters to the Washington State Legislature in support of the request. Additionally, the Great Northern Corridor Coalition, an organization which was formed to promote shared regional cooperation, planning and project implementation to improve rail freight movement across the Great Northern Corridor, has also included the Port of Quincy Project on its list.
The Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal is located in Central Washington on a key cross-country rail mainline (Seattle-Chicago Northern Corridor BNSF mainline) and near a major interstate freeway (I-90) and in the heart of one of the largest irrigated agricultural and food processing regions in North America. In 2011, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway designated Quincy, Washington as an official intermodal terminal on its national intermodal map. The Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal has been a key hub for shipping Washington State frozen foods and fresh produce to destinations throughout the Midwest and East Coast of the United States. According to a recent study of 29 western U.S. and Canadian locations with intermodal connections to regional markets, Quincy, Washington ranked as the lowest cost location for operating a distribution center or a warehouse.
The Project would expand the infrastructure at the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal to meet unit train requirements of BNSF and help eliminate congestion on the Great Northern Corridor Rail Line at Quincy, WA. In particular, the Expansion Project would include installation of three additional intermodal tracks to increase the capacity of the Terminal to be able to simultaneously load or unload longer intermodal container trains, and a new longer siding track and set out/pick up track that would allow longer trains to pull off of the BNSF mainline at Quincy for arrival and departure in one piece. Furthermore, the Project would entail expanding the surface area of the Intermodal Terminal to allow for more storage of containers, and constructing a bridge across the US Bureau of Reclamation West Canal near Quincy.
Expanding the infrastructure of the Terminal will then allow the Port of Quincy to bring-in an intermodal operator to begin again shipping Washington State fresh produce, frozen foods and other perishable goods. With continuing tightening in long-haul truck and railcar supplies, expanding the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal and restoring intermodal service at Quincy will provide Central Washington perishable shippers with competitive and much needed shipping capacity to ship Washington State products to Midwest and Eastern US markets. Additionally, given that Washington State is relatively much further away from large Midwest and East Coast markets, it is critical that there are cost effective transportation options available (such as intermodal service from the Port of Quincy) to help Central Washington perishable shippers and their products remain competitive.
Overall, the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal Infrastructure Expansion Project has a regional benefit as it will help to provide more freight mobility options to Central Washington agricultural, produce and food shippers, create family wage transportation related jobs, lessen wear and tear on freeways and highways by converting more long-haul over-the-road freight to rail intermodal freight, decrease fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and will reduce intermodal rail congestion on the Great Northern Corridor Rail Line at Quincy, Washington.
In conclusion, the Port of Quincy's request for $16.2 million for the "Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal Infrastructure Expansion Project" will meet the requirements of BNSF Railway and provide Central Washington perishable shippers with much needed shipping capacity and cost effective and competitive transportation options (such as intermodal service from the Port of Quincy) to ship Washington State products to Midwest and Eastern US markets.
For more information, please contact Curt Morris at the Port of Quincy via email or 509-214-7696.