|
Project Title & Location
Pt. Defiance Bypass-Phase 1, Pierce Co., WA
|
Project Description
Constructs and upgrades part of the mainline tracks along a 20-mile corridor for passenger service. Results in 6-minute reduction in Seattle-Portland schedule.
|
|
Contractor/Consultant
Sound Transit, Seattle, and Tacoma Rail, Tacoma
|
|
Recent Progress
WSDOT is continuing the design and environmental work to construct improvements that will allow Amtrak Cascades trains to use the bypass route without being delayed by freight or Sounder commuter trains. This will also reduce travel times between Seattle/Tacoma and Portland by six minutes. The design and environmental work remain on schedule and on budget. The WSDOT design effort reached 60 percent completion in March, with the estimates for construction remaining on budget. As the project develops, WSDOT is continuing to meet with local agencies and will be keeping citizens informed. Comments from local and military agencies, as will as WSDOT's Olympic Region, on the 60 percent design have been received and are being incorporated.
WSDOT continues to coordinate with Sound Transit to ensure the WSDOT project is compatible with the Sound Transit Lakewood Extension project. In April, WSDOT and Sound Transit reached a tentative agreement for Sound Transit to administer the construction, with WSDOT to purchase the property required for the WSDOT-driven improvements.
|
|
Design Construction Impacts
The impacts to rail transportation during construction will be minor, as three day work windows are planned for, allowing freight operations four days per week as is typical today. As grade crossings are upgraded, some road restrictions and closures will be required. In advance of these closures, the contractor and construction office will coordinate with WSDOT's Olympic Region, the cities of Tacoma, Lakewood, and DuPont, as well as Fort Lewis and Camp Murray, to ensure restrictions and closures are well planned and minimize impacts to traffic.
|
|
Environmental Impacts / Compliance
A NEPA/SEPA Environmental Assessment (EA) is being prepared, so the environmental impacts have not been determined. Some noise impacts to surrounding residences are expected, due to increased numbers and the speeds of trains, as well as, from train horns at the grade crossings.
|
Impacts to Traffic
With the removal of passenger trains from the congested main line around Point Defiance, freight rail traffic on that route will see fewer congestion delays. More trains passing over the grade crossings in south Tacoma, Lakewood, and DuPont, will cause minor delays to motorists which will be mitigated by improved traffic signal coordination.
|