Freight rail - Connecting Washington

2022

Connecting Washington funds 12 freight rail projects underway in 2022

A total of 12 projects funded through the Freight Rail Assistance Program were underway as of December 31, 2022. Eight of these were new projects awarded for the 2021-2023 biennium for a total of $6.6 million.

These projects include rail and tie replacements, rail safety improvements, bridge replacements, new sidings (short segments of track that allow a train to pull off the main line so another train can pass), crossing improvements, tunnel repairs, noise abatement and preservation. Of these 12 FRAP projects, four were in closeout as of December 31, 2022.

2021

Connecting Washington funds 10 freight rail projects underway in 2021

As of December 31, 2021, 10 freight rail improvement projects funded through the Connecting Washington transportation package were underway. These CW projects were approved by the legislature as part of the 2017- 2019 or 2019-2021 transportation budgets. They include rail interchange improvements, rail infrastructure work at several ports, landslide mitigation along railroad tracks and rehabilitation of existing rail lines.

Three of the 2017-2019 biennium CW projects were in closeout phase, one was in design. The remaining six projects were funded in the 2019-2021 biennium, with two in design, three in construction, and one in closeout as of December 31, 2021.

2020

Connecting Washington funds 15 freight rail projects underway in 2020

As of December 31, 2020, 15 freight rail improvement projects funded through the Connecting Washington transportation package were underway. These CW projects were all approved by the Legislature as part of the 2017-2019 or 2019-2021 transportation budgets. They include rail interchange improvements, rail infrastructure work at several ports, landslide mitigation along railroad tracks and rehabilitation of existing rail lines.

Two of the 2017-2019 biennium Connecting Washington projects were in closeout phase, one was in construction and two others were in design. The remaining 10 projects were funded in the 2019-2021 biennium and were in the design or construction phases as of December 31, 2020.

2019

Connecting Washington funds 11 freight rail projects underway in 2019

As of December 31, 2019, 11 freight rail improvement projects funded through the Connecting Washington transportation package were underway. These CW projects, which totaled $37.8 million, were all approved by the Legislature as part of the 2015-2017 or 2017-2019 transportation budgets. They include rail interchange improvements, rail infrastructure work at several ports, landslide mitigation along railroad tracks and rehabilitation of existing rail lines.

Two of the 2015-2017 biennium CW projects were in closeout phase, and the two others funded in that biennium were in final construction. The remaining seven projects were funded in the 2017-2019 biennium and were in the agreements, design or construction phases as of December 31, 2019.

2018

All Connecting Washington projects underway in 2018

The Legislature funded seven freight rail improvement projects for the 2017-2019 biennium through the Connecting Washington transportation package. These CW projects totaled $27.3 million and were all in progress by December 31, 2018. The projects included interchange improvements, work at several ports, landslide mitigation along railroad tracks and rehabilitation of existing rail lines.

An eight project was funded across two biennium (2015-2017 and 2017-2019), with $2 million allocated in each funding cycle for expansion of the Port of Warden. Four additional projects, originally funded during the 2015-2017 biennium, were either in the closeout phase or were operationally complete in December 2018.