OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific announced yesterday that it plans to open its new Kansas City Intermodal Terminal in mid-July as the railroad looks to strengthen its position in the Kansas City market.
UP would not disclose the terminal’s annual lift capacity, but said the facility, located in Armourdale Yard, will have twice as much capacity as the current terminal in Neff Yard.
“Union Pacific is investing in Kansas City Intermodal Terminal to expand our footprint and enable growth through over-the-road conversion to rail,” spokeswoman Robynn Tysver says. “The new facility will be equipped with Precision Gate Technology, making the in/out-gate process fast and easy for drivers.”
The terminal is located in an expanding regional logistics hub, near Highway 69 and Interstates 435, and 70. “Its location allows us to serve customers across the Midwest, including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska,” Tysver says.
The terminal’s first phase includes two working tracks, container parking stalls, a chassis lot, and two additional working tracks that can be used to handle surge volume. The terminal will offer stacked international and wheeled domestic container operations.
“The facility can accommodate future expansion, but right now we’re focused on finishing phase one, with the understanding that we’re always talking to our customers and planning for the future,” Tysver says.
The project also involves widening 18th Street to better accommodate truck traffic.
“Moving intermodal operations from Neff … to KCIT gives Union Pacific a stronger foothold in the market to bid on large customer contracts that have the potential to drive intermodal growth across the network,” Tysver says.
UP currently offers domestic intermodal service linking Kansas City with Los Angeles, Northern California, Salt Lake City, Portland, Ore., and Seattle. International service connects Kansas City with ports in Houston, California, and the Pacific Northwest.
UP will need to extend the levee along the north side of the Kansas River otherwise Armourdale will go under water like Argentine did during last mega-rain event.