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News
ACTA Board Votes To Give Itself Greater Transportation Role, Urges Expanded Operating Hours For Intermodal Distribution System, New Near Dock ICTF & More
(Dec. 5, 2003) -- The governing board of the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) has voted to assign the agency additional roles, including working to expand operating hours of the area's intermodal distribution system and supporting development of a new near-dock ICTF (intermodal container transfer facility).
ACTA's governing board is chaired by LB Vice Mayor Frank Colonna, who said in an ACTA release:
ACTA’s extensive expertise and experience in identifying and developing innovative projects are resources that should be brought to bear on developing goods movement solutions on a regional scale. We have the institutional know-how, the government structure and stature to play a major role in solving what is the most vexing problem facing our region and our transportation infrastructure today.
ACTA, a non-elected joint powers authority, was created to build and operate the Alameda Corridor, a rail expressway that conveys containerized cargo between the Ports and downtown L.A.'s transcontinental railyards and railroad mainlines. ACTA is governed by a board comprised of two representatives each from the Ports of LB and L.A., one member each from the LB and L.A. City Councils and a representative of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The vote of ACTA's governing board (members listed below) now directs that ACTA:
- Coordinate with the ports, shippers, wholesalers and retailers to work together on expanding the operating hours of the intermodal distribution system;
- Develop a proposal to optimize existing on-dock rail capacity;
- Evaluate the viability of a regional shuttle train operation;
- Support the development of a new near-dock ICTF;
- Continue working with Caltrans to plan the State Route Expressway/Commodore Schuyler Heim Bridge project; and
- Participate in goods-movement studies with the MTA and other agencies.
ACTA's governing board members are:
Frank Colonna, Chair, Vice Mayor City of Long Beach
Janice Hahn, Vice-Chair, Councilwoman, City of Los Angeles
Don Knabe, L.A. County Supervisor and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Boardmember
James C. Hankla, Commissioner, Port of Long Beach
Thomas H. Warren, Commissioner, Port of Los Angeles
Larry Keller, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles
Richard Steinke, Executive Director, Port of Long Beach
The recommendations for expanding ACTA's mission came from an Ad Hoc Committee on Goods Movement created by ACTA itself in Sept. 2003 to evaluate taking on an expanded role. ACTA's Ad Hoc committee consisted of LB Vice Mayor Colonna, L.A. Councilwoman Hahn) L.A. Port Commissioner Warren and LB Harbor Commissioner Hankla (who prior to his Port post was ACTA's CEO, a position he took after retiring as LB City Manager).
In ACTA's release, L.A. Councilwoman Hahn said, "We can't wait any longer to reduce truck congestion in the region, and we must look at all of our options."
ACTA's release added:
In response to the significant growth of new warehouse distribution centers in the Inland Empire, ACTA will evaluate the development of an inter-regional shuttle train system to deliver cargo to these inland distribution centers. A short-haul system would augment Alameda Corridor cargo destined for transcontinental shipment.
In addition, ACTA will support efforts to develop a new near-dock facility where containers can be loaded onto rail that would transport containers via the Alameda Corridor and eliminate those trucks on freeways destined for downtown rail yards. Union Pacific Railroad operates one such facility in the harbor area, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is considering a site in the Wilmington area.
Related stories:
May 2003: Alameda Corridor CEO Hankla Testimony & Colloquy at LB City Council 710 Fwy Study Session, May 20, 2003
May 2003: Major MTA Vote On 710 Fwy...With Alameda Corridor Fallout: MTA Board (Incl. Sup. Knabe) Backs Sup. Molina's Motion Urging Removal Of Laternatives That Would Take Home & Biz Parcels; Adds Request For Report On Performance of Alameda Corridor
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