Harbor Commission Approves Budget For Expanded Rail Yard
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on September 10 approved an $870 million budget to build the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility. The project will shift more goods transportation from truck to rail, creating a more sustainable supply chain. It would also allow longer trains to be built, according to a port statement. A one-mile-long train removes as many as 750 trucks from the road, according to the announcement. The project is part of the port’s $1 billion rail improvement program. The first arrival, departure and storage tracks are slated for completion in 2024, with additional tracks to be laid in 2030 and project completion in 2032.

LBT Could Lose $10 Million In Funding If November Proposition Passes
The Long Beach Transit (LBT) Board of Directors announced its opposition yesterday to Proposition 6, a November 6 ballot measure that would repeal Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, commonly referred to as “the gas tax.” “LBT stands to lose nearly $10 million dollars that we would invest in important transit services if the voters approve Proposition 6,” LBT President and CEO Kenneth McDonald stated. “That means fewer clean, battery-electric buses for our customers, the inability of LBT to expand bus service and countless negative impacts statewide.” SB 1 placed an additional sales tax on gasoline to pay for $54 billion in road and transportation projects statewide over the next decade. The bill is “critical” to LBT’s goal of shifting to a 100% alternatively-fueled fleet by 2020, according to the announcement.

San Pedro Bay Ports Losing East Asian Trade Marketshare
The San Pedro Bay Ports’ marketshare of East Asian imports arriving at mainland U.S. ports has declined by about 0.8% from July 2017 to July 2018, according to an analysis in the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association’s latest trade report. The commentary by Jock O’Connell, international trade advisor for Beacon Economics, estimated that 15 years ago the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles handled 57.9% of all containerized imports from East Asia. As of July 2018, they received 46.4%. O’Connell wrote that the beneficiaries of this loss in marketshare are the ports of New York/New Jersey and Savannah. To read the full analysis, click here.

City Presents Six Draft Options For East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration
Mayor Robert Garcia presented six draft options yesterday for improvements to the East San Pedro Bay ecosystem, including Long Beach’s breakwater. Two of the alternatives include removing one-third of the breakwater, while another would create two 1000-foot long notches in the structure. The East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study was initiated by the city and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2016 to improve habitat function, water quality and the recreational value of the city’s beaches. More information on the study and the drafts are available on the city’s website. A community meeting on the draft alternatives, as well as an update on the study, takes place on Wednesday, October 10, 5:30 p.m., at the Bixby Park Community Center, 130 Cherry Ave.

Bill Signed To Expand State Apprenticeship Programs
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law Assembly Bill 235, which enables state apprenticeship programs in all industries to be expanded and new programs to be created. The bill was authored by Long Beach Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell. “State apprenticeship programs lead to well-paying permanent jobs and provide businesses with a skilled workforce,” O’Donnell stated. “This bill will result in new job opportunities and meet industry needs.” State apprenticeships provide on-the-job training with salary, as well as classroom education, according to the announcement. The bill has already taken effect.

Carnival Cruise Line Seeking Parking Solutions
Carnival Cruise Line is seeking long-term parking solutions for its guests passing through the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. Interested parties with public or private parking facilities within the area bounded by State Route 47 to the west, Alamitos Avenue to the east and Pacific Coast Highway to the north may contact Wilken Mes, commercial development and cruise terminal director, at 562/243-2191 or wmes@carnival.com.