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Project Title & Location
Tacoma Rail and Puget Sound and Pacific RR/Centralia - Reconfigure Rail - Phase 1A, Centralia, WA
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Project Description
Upgrades rail track and installs a new railroad switch and signaling to improve train movement and reduce rail congestion. The project will also reduce vehicle and pedestrian delays caused by trains entering and exiting the BNSF main line.
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Recent Progress
In August 2006, Tacoma Rail indicated that they were prepared to accept the terms of the draft WSDOT contract to manage construction of a realignment of the curve connecting the BNSF main line to the Puget Sound and Pacific (PSAP) line at Centralia, and a new connection between Tacoma Rail and PSAP at Blakeslee Junction. The contract includes a commitment by Tacoma Rail to abandon 28,000 feet of track from Blakeslee Junction south, if further funds become available to replace the storage track in another location.
Tacoma Rail signed the contract with WSDOT in January 2007. It was anticipated that the trackage rights, which form an integral part of the contract and were to be signed between Tacoma Rail and both PS&P and BNSF, would be completed quickly. While this was true of the agreement with PS&P, the agreement is taking longer than expected with BNSF. Funds of $7.0 million have already been moved to the 2007-2009 biennium. The further delay will mean another proposal to defer spending an additional $170,000 of funds until the 2007-2009 biennium. A request to transfer the $170,000 will be required.
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Environmental Impacts / Compliance
Environmental impacts are not known at this time.
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Impacts to Traffic
The project should minimize delays to road traffic in Centralia. It will also improve the speeds of rail traffic, both on the line where the changes are being made and also on the BNSF main line.
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