Oregon’s Coos Bay Port Project Advances with $25M INFRA Grant: First Ship-to-Rail Terminal on the U.S. West Coast Takes Major Step Forward
Published: June 25, 2026
By: Adam Burns
Coos Bay, Oregon — In a significant milestone for one of Oregon’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay has formally executed its $25 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
NorthPoint Development, the project’s private-sector partner, is providing a matching $25 million, unlocking a combined $50 million for planning and pre-construction activities. Funding disbursements can now begin following approval by the Port Commission at a special June meeting.
This funding supports critical work on the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP), including design of the terminal, rail yard, wharf, and berth facilities, along with advanced environmental review, permitting, and preliminary engineering.
“This agreement helps us advance the ball and positions us to meet that demand,” said Chad Meyer, President of NorthPoint Development. “The market need for additional freight capacity and supply chain resilience hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s become more apparent.”Melissa Cribbins, Executive Director of the PCIP project, added: “Infrastructure projects of this scale require coordination, and strong partnerships. The work behind this agreement represents the kind of sustained collaboration required to deliver projects of national significance.”
Coos Bay Rail Link GP38 #3823 and GP30m #2439 are westbound near Finn, Oregon on August 17, 2018. The Port of Coos Bay owns the 111 mile line, formerly owned by the Central Oregon & Pacific and originally Southern Pacific. Doug Kroll photo.What Is the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) Project?
The PCIP is a proposed state-of-the-art international shipping container terminal on the North Spit of Coos Bay, Oregon. It would become the first fully ship-to-rail intermodal terminal on the entire U.S. West Coast, located just 6 miles from open ocean.Unlike traditional ports that rely heavily on trucks for landside movement, the PCIP is designed for nearly 100% of containers to move by rail. This direct ship-to-rail connection would link ocean carriers straight to the national rail network via the existing Coos Bay Rail Line (which connects to Union Pacific in Eugene, Oregon).
Key project components include:
- A multi-berth container terminal capable of handling large Neopanamax vessels (up to 13,000 TEU).Modern wharf and berth infrastructure.
- An extensive rail yard for efficient container handling and train assembly.
- Electrified operations (yard equipment, ship-to-shore gantry cranes) powered by green energy, plus shore power plugs for vessels at berth to reduce emissions.
- Supporting infrastructure upgrades: deepening and widening the Coos Bay Navigation Channel (to -45 feet MLLW and 450 feet wide up to river mile ~8.2) and rail improvements (double-stack clearance through tunnels, new sidings, bridge work, and connections to Union Pacific’s Eugene yard).
The terminal would initially handle about 1.2 million TEU (roughly 800,000 containers) annually, with potential to scale to 2 million TEU.
Funding and Partnerships
The INFRA grant is one piece of a growing funding stack for the project:
- $25 million INFRA grant (now executed, matched by NorthPoint’s $25 million — the largest private investment to date).
- $29.75 million CRISI grant (Federal Railroad Administration) for Coos Bay Rail Line upgrades.
- $11.25 million PIDP grant (U.S. Maritime Administration) for rail infrastructure improvements.
- $100 million in bonding support from the Oregon Legislature (approved 2025).
The total estimated project cost (terminal, channel improvements, and rail upgrades) is approximately $2.3 billion. The project is a public-private partnership between the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay and NorthPoint Development (a Kansas City-based industrial developer).
Economic and Environmental Benefits
Proponents highlight transformative potential for rural Oregon’s South Coast and the broader U.S. freight network:
- Jobs: Roughly 2,600 construction jobs over five years; about 2,500 direct permanent jobs at the terminal and nearly 7,000 indirect jobs in Coos, Douglas, and Lane counties.
- Economy: New export opportunities for American producers, farmers, and manufacturers; increased tax revenue; long-term economic boost to underserved regions.
- Environment & Efficiency: Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing truck movements and idling ship engines (via shore power and rail focus). The project aims for low-emission operations overall while adding West Coast container capacity and relieving congestion at larger ports.
- Strategic Value: Shorter ocean transit times from Asia compared to some northern West Coast ports; resilient supply chain alternative; direct rail access to inland markets.
Timeline and Next Steps
Once full funding is secured, the project is expected to take about five years: roughly two years for planning, environmental reviews (including NEPA/EIS), and permitting, followed by three years of construction.
With the INFRA agreement now executed and other grants in place, pre-construction work is ramping up in earnest. The Port anticipates further announcements as design, environmental, and engineering phases progress.
The PCIP represents a bold vision to reposition Coos Bay as a key logistics gateway on the West Coast — one that prioritizes rail efficiency, sustainability, and economic opportunity for rural communities.
As federal and state support continues to build, the project moves closer to turning concept into concrete reality.For the latest updates, visit the official project site: pcipproject.com or portofcoosbay.com.
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