A state agency is providing a $1 million loan to add a rail spur connecting the Port of Columbia to Union Pacific’s main line.
Louisiana Economic Development awarded the loan under its FastSites program, helping close a funding gap on the $7 million project.
The port, on a 400-acre site, has direct access to the Ouachita River and U.S. Route 165, and is adjacent to UP’s (NYSE: UNP)Monroe Subdivision. Columbia is about 30 miles south of Monroe, La.
“For a rural port like Columbia, FastSites provides critical gap financing that allows us to turn committed infrastructure funding into a project under construction,” Columbia Port Commission President Darron McGuffee said in a release. He pointed out that the project already has funding from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, as well as federal funding through the Delta Regional Authority’s Community Infrastructure Fund.
“The FastSites investment gives the port the financial flexibility needed to keep the project moving and maintain our construction schedule,” McGuffee said. “More importantly, this rail spur will provide public access to Union Pacific’s main line for our region, creating new transportation opportunities for existing businesses while strengthening our ability to attract future industrial investment like Louisiana Green Fuels.”
“Adding rail access at the Port of Columbia opens another path for businesses across Northeast Louisiana to move goods and reach markets,” state Sen. Glen Womack said. “That kind of connectivity strengthens our ability to support the industries already operating here while creating more possibilities for companies looking to invest in the region.”
The port expects to open the project for bids in November. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and be completed by 2028.
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