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Port Metro Vancouver, federal and railroad officials yesterday marked the start of construction on the South Shore Corridor project.

The work involves separating road and rail traffic at 10 conflict points along Stewart Street, adjacent to the port's terminals and the South Shore Trade Area's railway corridor. The $75 million project also includes associated intersection and roadway improvements, and corridor-wide improvements, such as the installation of Intelligent Transportation Systems.

"The South Shore Corridor project will reduce road and rail conflicts, and improve supply chain capacity and operating efficiency, helping meet the needs of [our] customers now and into the future," said Port Metro Vancouver President and Chief Executive Officer Robin Silvester in a prepared statement.

The federal government is providing about $31 million for the project. South Shore Corridor funding partners include CN and Canadian Pacific, and consulted participants include BNSF Railway Co. and TransLink.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Harbor Commission earlier this week approved a resolution that initiates an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) on a berth improvement project proposed by Yusen Terminals Inc. (YTI) at the Port of Los Angeles.

Expected to take about 18 months to complete, the EIS/EIR is the first step in YTl's plan to deepen berths and improve terminal facilities to accommodate larger vessels and increase cargo volume. YTI currently operates a 185-acre port terminal under a 25-year lease that expires in September 2016, and expects to exercise an option to extend the lease for 10 years.

The project calls for increasing berth depth from 45 to 53 feet, improving wharves to make way for 100-foot gantry cranes and deepening them to 47 feet, and creating additional on-dock rail yard capacity.

"Terminal modernization and improvements … are key to the [port's] long-term global competitiveness and success," said Geraldine Knatz, the port's executive director, in a prepared statement.

The port is served by BNSF, Pacific Harbor Line Inc. and Union Pacific Railroad.