NEW ORLEANS — On Feb. 27, the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Board of Commissioners awarded a $2,209,635 contract to Cycle Construction Company LLC for construction of the NOPB Transloading Industrial Park in New Orleans East.
“The Port of New Orleans and the NOPB continue to provide multimodal infrastructure improvements to move freight more efficiently through our global gateway,” said Brandy D. Christian, Port NOLA president and CEO, and NOPB CEO, in a press release. “These upgrades not only offer customers and railroad partners a competitive edge, but also will help grow the economy and bring jobs to the region. We are grateful to the Louisiana DOTD for its generous support in granting us the opportunity to enhance our railroad infrastructure.”
The total project cost is $3 million and will be funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Shortline Railroad Priority Program as well as a $1.5 million funding match from NOPB.
“Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development was pleased to select the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad’s project as one of the first projects for the new Shortline Rail Improvement Program,” said Dean Goodell, freight and passenger rail director for LADOTD’s Office of Multimodal Commerce. “We look forward to providing additional funding in the future to NOPB through this critical program.”
The property, which is owned by the Port of New Orleans, is located on Terminal Road. Once finished, the transload yard will have the capacity to service up to 21 railcars. Planned improvements including three additional rail tracks, rail switching capabilities, drainage and road upgrades.
“The NOPB Transloading Industrial Park will allow new and current operators to enter or expand in the New Orleans market,” said NOPB General Manager Tomeka Watson Bryant. “This is another example of the NOPB growing its network and continuing to provide safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable rail service.”
Construction on the NOPB Transloading Industrial Park is expected to begin in April 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in the summer.
Port NOLA is a deepwater port that is connected to all of the nation’s six Class I railroads. NOPB is a Class III railroad that serves the Port of New Orleans and industries, and connects directly with six Class I railroads. These railroads comprise a 132,000-plus mile network of track that connect Port NOLA to every U.S. market and Canada.
NOPB’s main classification yard, Cotton Warehouse Yard, is located in Uptown New Orleans near the the port’s corporate headquarters. Two additional yards, Claiborne and France yards, serve downtown customers. The NOPB system also includes four storage yards: Pauline, Race Street, East Bridge and South.