Port of Long Beach, California, August 16, 2025
News Summary
Jacobs has been awarded the program-level construction management role for the Pier B On‑Dock Rail Support Facility at the Port of Long Beach. The Pier B program will expand the rail yard from 82 to 171 acres, more than tripling on‑dock rail capacity to support up to 4.7 million TEUs annually. The contract will coordinate ten construction packages covering wharf work, backland development and an administration building, with centralized environmental compliance and weekly coordination to limit disruption at the active port. The program is expected to create over 1,000 local construction jobs and improve cargo flow while reducing truck trips and emissions.
Jacobs named construction manager for Port of Long Beach Pier B rail expansion
A major construction management role has been awarded for the Pier B On‑Dock Rail Support Facility program at the Port of Long Beach in California. A Dallas‑based contractor will provide program‑level construction management services after announcing the award on Aug. 7. The value of the construction management contract was not disclosed. The Pier B work is a key part of the port’s broader capital program, which totals $2.2 billion.
What the project will do
The Pier B program will expand the existing rail yard from 82 acres to 171 acres, effectively doubling the yard footprint and more than tripling the port’s on‑dock rail capacity. Once complete, the facility is expected to support handling of up to 4.7 million TEUs annually. The expansion is framed as a measure to move more cargo by rail, cut the number of truck trips, lower emissions and improve air quality in communities near the port.
Timeline and scope
Program management is planned to continue through the current decade, with the contractor expecting work to wrap up in 2032. The program includes a set of ten separate construction contracts covering wharf work, backland development and a new administration building among other components. The port described the Pier B program as a cornerstone of the larger capital plan and as a project that will enhance cargo movement efficiency while supporting regional economic development.
Operational and environmental goals
Program-level efforts aim to streamline cargo movement into and out of the terminal complex, reduce reliance on truck trips and lower the overall environmental impact of port operations. The project is associated with efforts to help improve local air quality and to support community health initiatives. An environmental compliance hub will oversee permit and impact report requirements, coordinate with regulatory agencies and help keep construction moving without avoidable delays.
How the construction management will work
The construction manager will deliver umbrella program-level support construction management services. This approach is intended to enable shared staffing, integrated constructability reviews and close coordination with the port’s internal construction team. Weekly coordination meetings and a single hub for environmental compliance are planned to align upcoming activities, manage equipment deliveries and reduce disruptions during work at the active port.
Benefits for the local economy and workforce
The Pier B program is expected to generate more than 1,000 local jobs over the life of construction and to contribute to the region’s economic base through improved cargo flow and supply chain resilience. Supporters of the project describe it as a way to lower shipping costs by speeding transfers between ships and trains and by reducing congestion on surrounding roads.
Experience and past work
The construction manager has previously worked at the Port of Long Beach on projects such as a new fireboat station and has delivered waterfront infrastructure in other West Coast ports. The firm says its recent work spans water systems, advanced facilities and other high‑growth markets, and that it brings a mix of local experience and larger program expertise to maritime projects. Past project delivery included a multi-award fire station built to resilient design standards and work to repair aging quay walls using subsea mapping and targeted grout repairs.
Project delivery highlights and claims
Program-level construction management already used on earlier port phases reportedly coordinated multiple projects under a single structure, allowed repurposing of surplus materials, integrated ship‑to‑shore crane planning, and reduced schedule delays by months in earlier phases. A team of 22 professional construction management staff is credited with delivering more than $450 million in projects during prior phases of the port program.
Context about the port
The Port of Long Beach is one of the busiest container ports in the United States and is widely used as a major gateway for trans‑Pacific trade. The port handles more than 9 million TEUs annually, moves cargo valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars each year and supports jobs across the country. The Pier B expansion is part of a longer-term push to boost rail capacity at the port and lower the environmental impacts of moving cargo.
Risks and challenges
Managing construction inside an active port presents special challenges, including coordinating around ongoing terminal operations, meeting strict environmental review requirements and aligning deliveries and equipment to avoid operational disruptions. The chosen construction management approach is designed to tackle those challenges by keeping teams aligned and by centralizing environmental oversight and schedule coordination.
Next steps
Work sequencing and the ten construction contracts will proceed under the program management structure to minimize impact on current port operations. Key milestones include staged expansion of the rail yard, integration of new rail and terminal systems, environmental compliance tasks and phased startup to enable early benefits as parts of the facility come online ahead of the final 2032 completion date.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is managing the Pier B On‑Dock Rail Support Facility program?
- The construction management role was awarded to a Dallas‑based contractor that will provide program-level construction management services for the Pier B program.
- What is the size and cost of the project?
- The overall port capital program tied to Pier B totals $2.2 billion. The Pier B rail yard will expand from 82 acres to 171 acres. The construction management contract value was not disclosed.
- How much rail capacity will the expansion add?
- The expansion is expected to more than triple on‑dock rail capacity and enable handling of up to 4.7 million TEUs annually.
- When is the project expected to finish?
- Program-level work is expected to wrap up in 2032, with phased work and multiple contracts running over the coming years.
- What are the environmental goals of the project?
- The project aims to reduce truck trips, lower emissions, improve local air quality and meet environmental impact requirements through centralized compliance and sustainable construction practices.
- How will the construction be coordinated at the active port?
- The construction manager will use a program‑level structure with shared staffing, weekly coordination meetings and integrated constructability reviews to reduce disruption and keep multiple contracts aligned.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Pier B On‑Dock Rail Support Facility |
| Location | Port of Long Beach, California |
| Manager | Dallas‑based construction management firm (award announced Aug. 7) |
| Program cost | $2.2 billion (port capital program) |
| Rail yard size | Expands from 82 acres to 171 acres |
| Rail capacity | Up to 4.7 million TEUs annually; more than triple current on‑dock rail capacity |
| Jobs | More than 1,000 local jobs expected during construction |
| Completion | Expected in 2032 |
| Contracts | Ten construction contracts to manage, covering wharves, backland and administration facilities |
| Environmental aims | Reduce truck trips, lower emissions, improve air quality, centralized environmental oversight |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Construction Dive: Jacobs named construction manager for Port of Long Beach Pier B rail expansion
- Wikipedia: Port of Long Beach
- Jacobs: Redefining port — Long Beach project page
- Google Search: Pier B On‑Dock Rail Support Facility Port of Long Beach
- Railway Age: Jacobs tapped to support Port of Long Beach’s Pier B on‑dock rail support facility
- Google Scholar: Port of Long Beach rail expansion
- Jacobs Newsroom: Forging a safer future — state‑of‑the‑art fireboat station, Port of Long Beach
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Port of Long Beach
- Press‑Telegram: The synergy of the conductor-less chamber orchestra — Kontrapunktus returns to Long Beach
- Google News: Pier B On‑Dock Rail Support Facility
Author: Construction FL News
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