Port of L.A. approves design contract for container inspection facility

Port of L.A. approves design contract for container inspection facility    The Port of Los Angeles said Thursday that its Harbor Commission has awarded a contract to URS Corp to design the Port of Los Angeles-Port of Long Beach Joint Container Inspection Facility.
   The project is being partially funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant of $2.5 million, with the remaining $1.3 million for design to be paid by the Port of Los Angeles.
   “This is an important project for the entire port complex, and we are pleased to be able to keep it progressing forward to the design phase,” said Geraldine Knatz, Port of Los Angeles executive director, in a statement. “By locating the inspection facility within the port, we keep suspect containers from being moved on streets and freeways through communities — a good thing for everyone involved.”
   The new inspection facility will be located on the site of the former U.S. Customs Building on Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles. The building will be owned by the port, but will be utilized by a diverse group of law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, for inspection of special, high-risk and randomly selected cargo containers. Currently, these inspections are being performed at facilities inland.
   The total cost of the project, including construction, is estimated at $73.8 million to $90.8 million. Grants of $4 million have been awarded for the initial feasibility study and for design. The Port of Los Angeles will seek additional grants and funding to assist with the completion of the project.