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Oregon to Invest $100 Million in Coos Bay’s PCIP

[ July 15, 2025   //   Gary Burrows ]

The Oregon Legislature on June 30 approved a landmark US$100 million investment in the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port, or PCIP, a transformative public-private project that will create a container terminal in the Port of Coos Bay.

The PCIP project will establish a modern, ship-to-rail container terminal that connects southwest Oregon to international markets and enables cargo to travel directly via the Coos Bay Rail Line, or CBRL, to Midwest markets via the Union Pacific Railroad connection in Eugene. This strategic public-private partnership is already supported by US$58 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s INFRA (Infrastructure for Rebuilding America), CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements) and RCE (Railroad Crossing Elimination) grant programs.

“This project reflects the kind of bold, future-focused investment that Oregon needs,” said Melissa Cribbins, executive director of the PCIP project. “For too long, rural communities like those on the South Coast have been left behind. This project gives us a path forward – one grounded in good jobs, sustainable freight infrastructure, and long-term community stability.”

The economic impact is substantial. The PCIP is expected to generate more than 2,600 construction jobs, 2,500 permanent direct jobs, and as many as 8,000 total jobs across construction, logistics, warehousing and small business sectors once operational.

Legislators say the project could generate more than US$59 million in annual income tax revenue for the state, while it reduces carbon impact of freight movement. The terminal will incorporate shore power to allow docked ships to plug in, eliminating idling emissions. The terminal itself will run on electricity rather than diesel, and Coos Bay’s location – one day’s sailing time closer to Asia than other major West Coast ports – means lower emissions per shipment.

The project is expected to support a range of industries, including agriculture in the Willamette Valley, manufacturing in the Columbia Gorge, and export operations throughout the western U.S.

Tags: Coos By Rail Line, Oregon Legislature, Pacific Coast Intermodal Port, Union Pacific Railroad