Transportation
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SNAPSHOT:
Rapid and cost-effective access to the West’s major markets via truck, mainline rail, or air service makes Merced a distribution heavyweight.
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1-day drive to all California and Oregon locations, and portions of Nevada and Arizona
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1-day round trip to/from the Los Angeles basin
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High-speed rail coming by 2029
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Development opportunities at Airport Industrial Park
Maps for Download (PDF):
SHIPPING OVERVIEW
RAIL/INTERMODAL
Merced is served by BNSF and Union Pacific Railways
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Stockton
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Oakland
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Lathrop
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Oakland
CARGO AIRPORTS
Merced Regional Airport/ Macready Field
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FedEx
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UPS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport
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FedEx
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UPS
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Port of Entry
Market Access
Merced is located close to the largest consumer and manufacturing markets on the West Coast. The list of companies already operating here speaks volumes for Merced's appeal to the distribution/logistics industry.
HIGHWAYS
Merced is strategically located at the juncture of three major highways (99, 59, 140) and less than 40 minutes from Interstate 5.
SHIPPING/DISTRIBUTION
Our central location can put your business within overnight truck delivery to just about anywhere in California. Merced is serviced by all major regional and transcontinental LTL common carriers. The area is also serviced by all major California LTL common carriers.
HIGHWAY CONNECTIONS
SR-99
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TO: Sacramento (N) Fresno (S)
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KNOWN FOR: 4-lane highway, “The Main Street of California”
SR-59
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TO: SR-152 (S) Sierra Nevadas (N)
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KNOWN FOR: Shortcut to Merced for drivers traveling from Monterey, San Jose
SR-140
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TO: I-5 (W) Yosemite (E)
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KNOWN FOR: One of 4 gateways to Yosemite
I-5
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TO: Seattle (N) San Diego (S)
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KNOWN FOR: Primary north-west route for entire West Coast
Distance to Markets
Source: Google Maps (AUG 2024).
*Miles from City Hall (678 W 18th St).
**Direct flights are also available from Merced Regional Airport (MCE):
Las Vegas (LAS): 1 hr 36 min
Hawthorne/Los Angeles (HHR): 1 hr 18 min
Rail Service
BNSF: www.bnsf.com
Amtrak: www.amtrak.com
California High Speed Rail: www.hsr.ca.gov
The City of Merced sits on the main lines of both the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads. Amtrak provides passenger rail service to Oakland and Sacramento (connecting to additional destinations) from the Merced station on W. 24th St.
COMMUTER SERVICES
High Speed Rail. High speed passenger service to Silicon Valley will begin in 2029 through California’s High Speed Rail.
ACE. Commuter train service currently running between Stockton and San Jose will be expanded to Merced. Key state funding has been approved and service to Merced is expected by 2025. The line will also be extended north to Sacramento.
RAIL SERVICES
Intermodal:
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Merced is within a local dray zone of two major intermodal ramps featuring double-stack service.
Port Access:
Container facilities and/or bulk shipping facilities…
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Within 100 miles: ports of San Francisco, Oakland, and Stockton
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Within 275 miles: ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
High Speed Rail is Coming to Merced!
California’s High Speed Rail, now under construction, will put Silicon Valley passengers within less than an hour of the state’s most rapidly growing region—Central California. Merced is a key stop on the HSR, which will eventually extend from San Jose and San Francisco to Los Angeles. Phase 1, stretching from San Jose almost to Bakersfield, is targeted for completion in 2025. Buttressed by the brainpower of UC Merced and HSR’s rapid access to Silicon Valley, Merced is poised to see a growing presence from the tech and bioscience industries for satellite operations and R&D. Read more...
Air Travel
LOCAL SERVICE & COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS
Merced Regional Airport offers corporate facilities and cargo service, along with commercial air service to Las Vegas and Los Angeles provided by Advanced Air. Construction of a replacement terminal that will better serve passengers, airlines, and the TSA commenced in December 2023.
REGIONAL COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS
Fresno Air Terminal (about 60 minutes south) offers commercial flights to 16 locations via AeroMexico, Aha!, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American, Delta, Southwest, United and Volaris.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Four international airports (Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose) are within a 2-hour drive.
Development Opportunity: Merced Airport
Merced Airport is an undeveloped asset that could tap into the changing technology/education/industry environment fostered by the growth of UC Merced. Coupled with High Speed Rail, it’s one more feature making Merced conveniently reachable. More about Airport Industrial Park…
RELATED INFORMATION:
SOURCES USED ON THIS PAGE:
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California High-Speed Rail Authority, “San Jose to Merced Project Section, Spring 2017" PDF (www.hsr.ca.gov) (July 2017).
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California High-Speed Rail Authority, “San Jose to Merced Timeline” (July 2017).
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ACE timeline and status: acerail.com/merced-extension-eir (March 2022).
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BNSF Intermodal: www.bnsf.com/ship-with-bnsf/support-services/facility-listings.page (March 2022).
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Fresno Airport services: flyfresno.com (March 2022).
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Fresno Air Cargo: flyfresno.com/air-cargo (March 2022).
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Merced Airport services: flymercedairport.com (March 2022).
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Port of Entry: www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/CA (March 2022).
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UP Intermodal: www.up.com/customers/premium/intmap/index.htm (March 2022).