Rail - Stanwood Siding Upgrades

Quarterly Project Report Update for Quarter Ending March 2008

Project Title & Location

Stanwood Siding, Snohomish County

Project Description
Currently, passenger and freight trains can be delayed up to 70 minutes due to the poor condition of siding at Stanwood. This project will upgrade the siding track to provide faster and more reliable passenger service.

Contractor/Consultant
BNSF Railway Co., Fort Worth, TX

Recent Progress
Currently, passenger and freight trains can be delayed due to the poor condition of the siding at Stanwood.  This project will upgrade the siding track to provide faster and more reliable passenger service.  The siding upgrade will be coordinated with the main line rehabilitation near the proposed Stanwood-New Station project.  Construction is scheduled for September 2008, with completion by June 2009.

The siding upgrade project has been expanded by the legislature.  This will extend the siding to allow future passenger service to stop at the newly funded Stanwood Amtrak Station.

Design Construction Impacts
The uncertainty of the scope has delayed the completion of engineering.  Current budget will likely not allow for the siding to be extended.

Environmental Impacts / Compliance
The first phase of the project, the upgrade of the existing track, requires only documentation for compliance with both the National and State Environmental Protection Acts.

Impacts to Traffic
There may be some brief work windows that may affect rail operation for both freight and passenger trains as old signals are replaced with new signals.  Amtrak Cascades passengers may experience short delays on trains traveling between Vancouver or Bellingham and Seattle.

Project Milestones Scheduled Attained Milestone Outlook
Begin Preliminary Engineering Jul 2006 Sep 2006 
Environmental Documentation Complete Jun 2007 Jun 2007 Requires very little environmental documentation.
Construction Begins  Jul 2008 Delayed to coordinate project with Stanwood Station.
Construction Completed Jun 2009 Will likley not be met due to increase in scope.
   
Project Cost Summary: Dollars in
millions
Percent
of Total

Planned vs. Actual Expenditures
(Total Project Cost)
Project Expenditure Chart

Preliminary Engineering $0.25 8.3%
Right-of-Way
Construction $2.75 91.7%
Funded Project Costs $3.0 100%

Nickel funds included in above costs

$3.0 100%

2005 Transportation Partnership Account

  For more information, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects

Lynnette Gregory, Project Manager at 360-705-7903 or E-mail: gregorl@wsdot.wa.gov