Coos Bay Port Project Could Reshape Eugene Rail Traffic

City Club members and the public gathered on November 21 to hear speakers describe the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port Project and its potential ripple effects for Eugene and Lane County. The program featured the project executive director and a longtime local union representative who outlined how the proposed terminal at the Port of Coos Bay would offload ocean containers, transfer them to the Coos Bay Rail Line and route cargo to the national rail network through Eugene.

Organizers emphasized that the proposal is tied to recent legislative and federal funding directed at widening and deepening the Coos Bay shipping channel. Project backers are targeting a launch in 2030, with phased investments in berthing capacity and on dock transfer equipment preceding rail integration. The City Club event was free and was livestreamed, allowing broader public access to the overview and question and answer segments.

For Lane County the most immediate implication is a potential change in rail traffic. If container volumes move through Coos Bay and onto the Coos Bay Rail Line, more intermodal trains could traverse the corridor that links the coast with Eugene before joining the broader national network. That raises operational questions for local freight scheduling, potential congestion on shared tracks, and how rail operators and municipal planners would manage crossings and maintenance windows.

Economic impacts include potential job creation in port operations, rail handling and logistics services, balanced against uncertainty about where those jobs will be located and which sectors will benefit. The project could lower transport times for some shippers by offering an alternative to larger west coast container ports, which in recent years have experienced capacity constraints and periodic congestion. For regional businesses that rely on imports and exports, a new intermodal gateway could reduce freight costs if transfers and rail rates are competitive.

Policy matters remain central. The project depends on continued public funding for channel improvements and on regulatory approvals for terminal construction and environmental review. Local governments and stakeholders in Lane County will need to engage on land use, traffic mitigation and workforce development to ensure community benefits are realized if the project moves forward.

Longer term, the proposal illustrates a trend toward diversified coastal logistics as shippers and policymakers seek alternatives to congested mega ports. For residents of Eugene, the project promises both opportunity and trade offs. The City Club meeting provided a first public forum to weigh those factors and signaled that further community conversations will be needed as the project advances toward its 2030 goal.