The Port of Long Beach has issued a notice to proceed for HDR to perform engineering services for its Pier B Rail Facility infrastructure program. The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles handle more than 40 percent of container volume between the United States and the Pacific Rim and by 2020, the Port of Long Beach expects its share of this traffic to increase 500 percent over 2004. The Pier B Rail Facility has been identified as the most critical facility in the Port’s rail master plan, serving as its primary railcar storage and staging facility. Estimated construction cost for the new facility is more than $250 million and is anticipated to begin in 2012. The estimated construction time frame is approximately four years. Key project components include realigning Pier B Street to accommodate new yard tracks, constructing approximately 80,000 feet of trackage at the Pier B Rail yard, designing classification yard facilities and/or a potential Near Dock ICTF Facility in the North Harbor Area, and conducting feasibility studies, alternative analysis and preliminary engineering for potential grade separations at 9th Street and the North Harbor Area. In support of the Port’s Green Port Policy, HDR also will perform sustainable-design and technology studies. Sustainable design will be assessed as an integral part of overall facility planning, design, operation and maintenance requirements, with focus on key areas such as air quality, energy efficiency and conservation, materials and water conservation and waste handling. The technology study will investigate alternative technologies for container movement using advanced non-polluting technologies other than rail or heavy truck. It also will assess technologies related to improving rail service operations, Intelligent Transportation Systems and Advanced Transportation Management Information and Security. HDR is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm with more than 6,200 professionals in 145 locations worldwide. All of them are committed to helping clients manage complex projects and make sound decisions. HDR is ranked No. 19 in the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms for 2007 and No. 9 in transportation. The firm has more than 500 employees in 10 offices in California.