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Recent Progress
The legislature provided a total of $5.0 million to build a new rail connection to Spokane County's Airway Heights industrial park to replace the connection that currently passes through Fairchild Air Force Base. The spur will connect with the CW line of the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad (PCC). Watco is the current owner of the CW line, and WSDOT is negotiating a purchase of it.
In July 2006, Watco and WSDOT provided written commitments to Spokane County to allow the connection needed with the PCC CW line. In August 2006, the Surface Transportation Board indicated it would not take jurisdiction of the project so long as problems do not develop with the operation of the CW line between the proposed connection point and Cheney. As a result, Spokane County can proceed with the project under SEPA rather than NEPA, and without further proceedings before the Surface Transportation Board.
The 30% plans were completed in May 2006 under a federal grant. 70% plans will be completed in October 2006. The estimated cost rose to $5.6 million in the 30% plans with a large contingency. The 70% plans will provide a more accurate estimate. A grant agreement is being prepared by WSDOT in which the County will agree to pay any cost over the $5.0 million provided by the Legislature.
The project was delayed by uncertainties in the CW line acquisition and by the need to determine whether the Surface Transportation Board would assume jurisdiction of the project. As engineering proceeded during the quarter, it became evident that the project cannot be completed this biennium. A new tentative completion date is November 2007. WSDOT is working with the County and its design engineers to determine how much of the grant needs to be re-appropriated.
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