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House Bill Includes Freight Mobility Projects by Staff Portland Business Journal, February 28, 2005

Funds included in a U.S. House transportation bill would result in better freight mobility for Portland-area businesses, say officials at the Port of Portland.

"If we want to build businesses and retain jobs, little is more important than having the infrastructure to support them, said Port of Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt.

As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Portland, helped secure an $11.15 million funding allocation as part of a six-year, $284 billion package for the nation's transit projects.

The port would use the majority of the funding to begin construction of Ramsey Rail Yard and to create other rail improvements through the Rivergate district in North Portland.

"Businesses need to be able to move their products, and the efficiencies this funding package would support will help them do that more competitively," Wyatt said.

Some funding also would be used along Columbia Boulevard from Interstate 5 to Portland International Airport to create additional rail and to make road and interchange improvements.