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Recent traffic figures from the Alameda Corridor serve as a microcosm of North America's surging intermodal traffic in 2004. On Friday, the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) reported a 14.6 percent increase in container traffic during fiscal-year 2004 — which ended June 30 — compared with the previous fiscal year. About 27 percent of the container traffic originating at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach moved over the corridor compared with 25.9 percent of FY03 volume.

"The Alameda Corridor has been successful in removing the equivalent of 2.3 million truck trips from our roads annually," said ACTA Chairman Janice Hahn in a prepared statement.

The corridor averaged 5,008 daily containers — 638 more units compared with FY03 and 3 percent more than forecasted in 1998, before construction on the 20-mile corridor began. The corridor's fiscal-year revenue from assessed fees and charges rose 13.9 percent to $62.3 million.

In addition to user fees, ACTA collects charges on some containers moving outside the corridor. Including those containers, FY04 units subject to ACTA fees or charges increased 8.1 percent compared with FY03.

A freight-rail expressway between the ports of L.A. and Long Beach, the $2.4 billion corridor opened in April 2002.