COOS BAY, OR — The Port of Coos Bay Board of Commissioners has approved two major federal grant agreements with the U.S. Department of Transportation, signaling a pivotal milestone for the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) and reinforcing the growing momentum behind one of the region's most significant infrastructure efforts.

The grants—awarded through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) and Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) programs—unlock more than $33 million in federal investment for early-phase work that will modernize rail infrastructure and improve public safety. Combined with nearly $21 million in matching funds, these commitments lay critical groundwork for construction and set the stage for development of the state-of-the-art terminal on Oregon’s South Coast. 

“This is a transformational moment not just for our region, but for the way goods move across the country,” said Melissa Cribbins, Executive Director of the PCIP project. “With key federal approvals now in place, we are moving toward construction—reducing freight congestion, creating new career-path jobs, and unlocking a future of more efficient cargo movement.”

The PCIP is designed around what the project team calls the “three-legged stool”:

• Construction of a modern, greenfield container terminal on the North Spit of Coos Bay;
• Deepening and widening of the Coos Bay Navigation Channel; and
• Comprehensive upgrades to the Coos Bay Rail Line (CBRL), a 115-mile freight corridor linking the port to the Class I rail network in Eugene through the Union Pacific Railyard.

Together, these elements will establish a direct ship-to-rail connection—creating a resilient, low-emission route for containerized exports and imports and positioning Coos Bay as a key logistics gateway for rural and underserved markets across the West.

The $29.75 million CRISI grant will fund detailed planning, permitting, and engineering for sweeping upgrades to the CBRL—including track replacement, tunnel heightening, bridge rehabilitation, and new sidings—along with improvements at Union Pacific’s Eugene yard to support seamless Class I interchange. The $3.99 million RCE grant will advance planning for a new overcrossing at OR 38 in Reedsport, which will eliminate a key at-grade crossing and significantly improve community safety and emergency response.

With federal commitments secured and project planning well underway, the Port and its private partner, North Point Development, are preparing for an active phase of permitting and design.
“Every one of these steps brings this project closer to reality,” said Chad Meyer, President of NorthPoint Development. “This recent action by the Port Commission marks a critical turning point. We’re committed to working alongside the Port and the people of Oregon to deliver a new model for supply chain access—one that’s resilient, sustainable, and rooted in this community.”

The PCIP has previously secured federal support through the INFRA, CRISI and RCE programs. The Port Commissions approval of these grant agreements at their July Commission meeting represent the final green light to begin pre-construction work in earnest—marking an inflection point in the project’s development.

The Port anticipates further announcements in the months ahead as work progresses—keeping the PCIP project on track to deliver lasting benefits for Oregon’s South Coast, the state’s exporters, and the broader U.S. freight network. Final work on the Port’s INFRA grant agreement is also nearing completion, with an announcement expected soon.
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