The Barstow City Council has approved BNSF Railway’s $4 billion Barstow International Gateway (BIG) project, clearing the way for one of the largest freight infrastructure developments in California.
The project will establish a 4,500-acre integrated rail and logistics facility on the west side of Barstow. Plans include a rail yard, intermodal terminal, and transload warehouses designed to transfer cargo from international shipping containers to domestic freight networks.
Containers arriving through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will move by rail to Barstow for processing before continuing across BNSF’s national network. The facility is intended to shift a larger share of freight movement from trucks to rail, reducing congestion along Southern California freight corridors.
BNSF plans to deploy zero-emission cargo-handling equipment at the facility, including rail-mounted gantry cranes, forklifts, and hostler vehicles. The company has also entered agreements with state and regional agencies to evaluate additional emissions-reduction technologies and support future clean freight initiatives.
BNSF estimates the project will support approximately 62,000 construction-related jobs and 15,000 long-term operational jobs across San Bernardino County. Within the City of Barstow, the company projects the development will create about 5,400 direct jobs and generate $2.9 billion in economic output during its first 20 years of operation.
The project also includes infrastructure improvements beyond the terminal site, including flood-control upgrades, replacement of the Hinkley Road bridge over the Mojave River, and roadway improvements.