A transportation vision for our ports.

The cities of Long Beach and Los Angeles have long benefited from the existence of the twin ports in San Pedro Bay that have created a gateway to the Pacific Rim, and a huge economic engine for not only the region but also the nation. More than 35 percent of all waterborne containers flow through the two ports, and 15 percent of all waterborne containers are transported via the 710 Freeway. The Southern California market retains 50 percent of this cargo with the remainder transported via transcontinental railway to markets east of the Rockies. The Alameda Corridor is considered the trade railway gateway to the nation, but in fact the 710 Freeway is the trade highway gateway.

And that is the challenge. With the explosive growth of Pacific Rim trade over the past decade that is expected to increase over the next twenty years, transportation and air quality will continue to be major issues facing the two ports. Traffic congestion on the 710 Freeway, along with rebuilding the Gerald Desmond Bridge, are the major concerns in regards to any transportation vision we may have in Long Beach.

We need to make wise decisions, fiscally sound decisions that will balance trade growth with environmental concerns. I am happy to report that the Port of Long Beach has spent a considerable amount of time planning for its future transportation needs. Some of the immediate solutions include increased use of on-dock rail, empty container management (where we reduce the number of trucks carrying empty containers to the port), container truck appointment systems and expanded hours of operation (which started in July with the PierPass program). This effort has already succeeded in reducing prime-time truck trips by 24 percent, and the expectation is that eventually this program will move 45 percent of the truck traffic to off-peak hours.

While these many efforts will assist in reducing congestion to and from the ports, the problem will not be totally addressed without the necessary structural improvements. It is vital that future federal transportation funding is made available for the Gerald Desmond Bridge and the 710 Freeway.

Both the Gerald Desmond Bridge and the 710 Freeway were designed to handle traffic that existed 40 or 50 years ago and are no longer able to efficiently address the increased traffic demands or the requirements of larger container ships that need more navigable room under the Gerald Desmond Bridge. It's imperative that these problems are addressed sooner rather than later if the two ports are going to continue to compete for Pacific Rim Trade.

We have much to be thankful for in Southern California, our weather, our beaches, the proximity to both the mountains and the desert, and our abundance of both career opportunities and lifestyles. But our quality of life depends upon a number of elements--education, housing, the environment and jobs, in addition to transportation infrastructure. If we are going to continue having the quality of life that is so attractive in Southern California, we must understand our transportation issues and address them in a thoughtful and effective manner.