Freight rail

2023

• As of December 31, 2023, 42 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail structures and freight movement were underway
• WSDOT awarded $72.8 million in federal funds for improvements on the Palouse River & Coulee City short line railroad

WSDOT administers grants and loans funding 42 freight rail projects underway in 2023

A total of 42 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail infrastructure and freight mobility were underway as of December 31, 2023. The work will continue in upcoming years and includes projects funded by the Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington transportation packages, state and federal freight rail grants, and a state freight rail loan program.

Of these 42 freight rail projects, two (5%) were in the scoping phase, 11 (26%) were in the agreement stage, 10 (24%) were being designed, four (9%) were under construction, and 15 (36%) were in the final closeout phase.

The Legislature approved 14 of these projects as part of the 2023-2025 biennial transportation budget, the remaining 28 projects were approved in previous biennia.

2022

• As of December 31, 2022, 40 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail structures and freight movement were underway
• WSDOT received $25 million in federal money for the Salmon Bay Bridge project over the Ballard locks

WSDOT administers grants and loans funding 40 freight rail projects underway in 2022

A total of 40 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail infrastructure and freight mobility were underway as of December 31, 2022. The work will continue in upcoming years and includes projects funded by the Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington transportation packages, state and federal freight rail grants, and a state freight rail loan program.

Of these 40 freight rail projects, two (5%) were in the scoping phase, five (12.5%) were in the agreement stage, eight (20%) were being designed, 14 (35%) were under construction, and 10 (25%) were in the final closeout phase.

The legislature approved 19 of these projects as part of the 2021-2023 biennial transportation budget, the remaining 21 projects were approved in previous biennia.

2021

• As of December 31, 2021, 45 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail structures and freight movement were underway
• WSDOT's Washington Rural Rail Rehabilitation project was completed in 2021

WSDOT administers grants and loans funding 45 freight rail projects underway in 2021

A total of 45 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail infrastructure and freight mobility were underway as of December 31, 2021. The work will continue in upcoming years and includes projects funded by the Connecting Washington transportation package, state and federal freight rail grants, and a state freight rail loan program.

Of these 45 freight rail projects, two (4.4%) were in the scoping phase, four (8.9%) were in the agreement stage, 14 (31.1%) were being designed, nine (20%) were under construction, and 16 (35.6%) were in the final closeout phase.

The legislature approved 13 of these projects as part of the 2021-2023 biennial transportation budget, the remaining 32 projects were approved in previous biennia.

2020

• As of December 31, 2020, 42 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail structures and freight movement were underway
• Construction on WSDOT's Washington Rural Rail Rehabilitation project began in 2020

WSDOT administers grants and loans funding 42 freight rail projects underway in 2020

A total of 42 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail infrastructure and freight mobility were underway as of December 31, 2020. The work, which will continue in upcoming years, includes projects funded by the Connecting Washington transportation package, state and federal freight rail grants, and a state freight rail loan program.

Of these 42 freight rail projects, three (7.1%) were in the agreement stage, 14 (33.3%) were being designed, 14 (33.3%) were under construction, and 11 (26.2%) were in the final closeout phase.

The legislature approved 29 of these projects as part of the 2019-2021 biennial transportation budget, while the remaining 13 projects were approved in previous biennia.

2019

• As of December 31, 2019, 53 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail structures and freight movement were underway
• The Washington Grain Train shipped 2,604 rail carloads of grain in 2019, up 29% from 2,011 in 2018

WSDOT administers grants and loans funding 53 freight rail projects underway in 2019

A total of 53 WSDOT-administered projects to improve freight rail infrastructure and freight mobility were underway as of December 31, 2019. The work, which will continue throughout the 2019-2021 biennium and beyond, includes projects funded by the Connecting Washington transportation package, state and federal freight rail grants, and a state freight rail loan program.

Of these 53 freight rail projects, 29 (54.7%) were in the final closeout phase, four (7.5%) were under construction, 16 (30.2%) were being designed, two (3.8%) were in the agreement stage and two (3.8%) were in the initial scope confirmation stage. Some of these projects were paused in December 2019 pending Legislative budget action.

The legislature approved 14 new projects as part of the 2019-2021 transportation budget, while the remaining 39 projects had been approved in previous biennia.