The project includes the construction of approximately 40000 feet of additional rail to accommodate unit trains and railcar storage the repurposing of a 50 acre brownfield site into a breakbulk…

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded the Port of Morrow a $3,076,800 Project Grant on July 24, 2025, under the United States Marine Highway Grants program (CFDA 20.816) to support a comprehensive multimodal transportation infrastructure project in Boardman, Oregon. The project, with an ultimate completion date of July 16, 2027, will deliver critical port expansion and modernization services including the construction of approximately 40,000 linear feet of new rail infrastructure to facilitate unit train offloading, railcar storage, and assembly operations. Additional deliverables include the repurposing of a 50-acre brownfield site into a breakbulk cargo handling and laydown area, construction of secured site access and roadway improvements, replacement of marine terminal fendering systems, and related site improvements to Terminal 4 and its adjacent uplands.

The project directly supports MARAD's objective to mitigate landside transportation congestion and expand water-based freight alternatives along designated Marine Highway Routes. Key infrastructure components include new rail loop routes with connections to the Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad, construction of four new ladder tracks for railcar handling and storage, modification of nine existing ladder tracks, and terminal improvements to enhance cargo flow for bulk agricultural products and breakbulk operations. These improvements will optimize the efficiency of the existing dual-berth Terminal 4 facility and strengthen the port's capacity as a multimodal transportation hub for regional economic development.

The project includes the construction of approximately 40000 feet of additional rail to accommodate unit trains and railcar storage the repurposing of a 50 acre brownfield site into a breakbulk cargo handling and laydown area access and roadway improvements replacement of marine terminal fendering systems and related site improvements. Activities to be performed this multimodal project uses the existing dual-berth terminal 4 1400 linear feet and adjacent port-owned uplands 150 plus acres to improve cargo flow into and through the international shipping complex. The critical construction elements of the project include construction of an additional approximately 40000 feet of rail for efficient unit train offloading railcar storage and unit train assembly repurposing a 50 acre brownfield into cargo laydown area for breakbulk cargo yard relocation adjacent to the breakbulk RO RO berth at terminal 4A construction of secured site access and roadway improvements for the safe secure and efficient flow of vehicles into and through the site upgrades to the marine terminal fendering system and related site improvements. The project will include the following two components component 1 terminal 4A and 4B upland construction element 1 rail upgrades new rail will be constructed to move unit trains and rail cars to and through the facility for loading and unloading of cargoes to include soybean meal and new ladder tracks will be constructed for handling and storing rail cars. The rail upgrades will include new loop route through terminal a new port owned loop route will be built for unloading bulk agricultural product at T4B with connections to the puget sound and pacific railroad psap. New ladder track four new ladder tracks will be constructed with connections to port owned lead tracks and the psap. Modification of existing ladder tracks nine existing ladder tracks will be extended and aligned with the four new ladder tracks with connections to both port owned and psap tracks. Work items will include approximately 40000 linear feet of new 136 pound continuous welded rail with concrete ties and associated switch gear. Industrial quality and 115 pound rail may be used where the ports design engineers determine there is no appreciable loss of performance safety longevity reliability and value. Extension of existing culvert at east terminal way ditch the exact linear feet of rail may vary as minor design changes are made and the as built length could end up being different as well. Element 2 terminal 4A cargo yard expansion repurposing a 50 acre brownfield into cargo laydown area for breakbulk cargo yard relocation. The work will include converting a former pontoon casting basin site into a cargo laydown area in support of terminal 4A and port operations. The work includes retaining wall behind gate construct a new structural retaining system to allow for filling of the casting basin without affecting the structural integrity of the existing tide gate. The new retaining wall will provide for the potential future decommissioning of the tide gate and restoration of the shoreline. Fill casting basin place fill in the area excavated at the former pontoon site. Grade and resurface site level the site and resurface IT to accommodate cargo yard activities and construct associated stormwater collection and treatment systems. Element 3 site access and security improvements construction of secured site access and roadway improvements to facilitate the flow into and through the site. Work for this element includes construct access roads storm drainage systems security facilities and associated improvements to facilitate rail upgrades and new construction at the site. These improvements include fencing that will be installed to expand the perimeter of the ports secure facility to include the east end of the expanded ladder tracks and the former pontoon casting basin site and a new entrance to the secure facility that will be constructed off heron street and will include a guard station. Component 2 T4 dock fender and stormwater upgrades upgrade and modernize the existing dock by replacing the existing timber piled fender system with a modern suspended system to accommodate increased vessel traffic. Constructing a stormwater collection and treatment system. Mitigation for new piling removal of derelict piles. Deliverables expected outcomes performance measure table from schedule G page 13 of the grant agreement measure category and description measurement frequency vessel calls vessel calls economic competitiveness and opportunity total vessel calls per year calling to the area defined in the project study area. Reported in total and disaggregated by any of the following where applicable vessel type E G container bulk RO RO LNG freight capacity vessel length or other. Quarterly cargo volume tons economic competitiveness and opportunity quarterly the movement of gross tonnage of cargo moved by vessel moved per year in the area defined by the project study area. Cargo volume tons economic competitiveness and opportunity the movement of gross tonnage of freight moved per year in the area defined by the project study area. Gross tons are defined as freight cargo minus tare weight of the rail cars. Quarterly intended beneficiary port of grays harbor. Subrecipient activities none.