According to today's USDA Grain Transportation Report, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development recently awarded a $1.5 million grant to New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) to construct a transloading park in New Orleans.
The NOPB—a Class III railroad—connects with the six Class I railroads that serve the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA).
The new facility will offer drayage carriers another way to access interstate and intrastate highways. Marking the first joint infrastructure venture between Port NOLA and NOPB, the transloading park will facilitate transfer of products between truck and rail.
The project is also anticipated to expand options for cost-effective shipping and provide access to new markets. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2023, and engineering and design work is already taking place.