BNSF advancing plans for massive intermodal, logistics hub near Phoenix

BNSF Railway Co. this week announced ongoing plans to develop a new regional rail-served facility near Phoenix.

The proposed plan involves 4,321 acres in northwest Maricopa County, where BNSF will develop a master-planned logistics hub designed to accommodate the transportation, storage and distribution of goods and materials throughout the Phoenix area and greater Southwest, the Class I announced in a June 18 press release.

According to BNSF, the facility’s design entails three distinct, yet interrelated components:
• an intermodal facility on 1,770 acres, which will serve as a transfer hub for rail shipments via standardized containers and trailers;
• a logistics park on 1,420 acres, which will provide sites for state-of-the-art warehouse and distribution facilities; and
• a logistics center on 1,131 acres, which will provide direct-rail-served sites supporting local industry. 

The facility will tie into the existing rail network to optimize supply chain operations, allowing for the efficient movement of goods and materials via rail. It also will help reduce environmental impacts and support current and future growth, said BNSF officials. 

“As BNSF and the customers we serve adapt to shifting marketplace needs, evolving supply chains and significant technological advancements, we identified a need for additional rail capacity in the Phoenix metro area,” said Vice President of Service Design Jon Gabriel. “Arizona is an important region to expand and advance our intermodal network capacity. This is a long-term investment and commitment to our customers and consumers in Arizona and beyond.”

The project is expected to generate “significant jobs” and promote economic development by allowing businesses to co-locate together. The combined facilities will provide an opportunity for reducing trucking distances in the region, which would reduce air emissions, highway and road maintenance costs, and improve highway and road safety, BNSF officials said.