Freight rail - Projects & progress

2024

Palouse River & Coulee City Rail System to get improvements

In September 2023, WSDOT leveraged $39.2 million in state, local and private funds to receive $72.8 million in federal funds through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program grant from the Federal Railroad Administration. This provides a total project budget of $112 million for capital improvements.

Design documents for the proposed improvements were prepared in 2024 and include replacing lightweight rail and railroad ties, rebuilding roadway crossings, and surfacing tracks. This grant work builds upon the prior Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant-funded improvements and—when coupled with other state capital contracts—substantially rehabilitates the Palouse River & Coulee City Railway System, bringing a significant portion of it to a state of good repair.

The PCC is the largest short line freight rail system in Washington, serving five eastern Washington counties: Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, and Whitman. The WSDOT-owned rail system allows farmers and growers to ship agricultural products from their more remote locations to larger railroads, barges and container ships for distribution throughout the world.

WSDOT and BNSF use federal grants for landslide mitigation projects

WSDOT and BNSF Railway were awarded three separate federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants in 2018, 2020 and 2021 to help reduce the risk of landslides at landslide-prone sites along railroad tracks between Seattle and Everett. WSDOT was able to leverage $4.5 million in state funds into more than $12 million in CRISI federal funds.

The first landslide mitigation project was constructed in 2023. The second one is in design with construction scheduled in 2025. The third landslide mitigation project is in the agreement stage and will address landslide hazards at five additional locations. Work includes constructing walls to stop debris from reaching tracks, enhancing slope stabilization and making drainage improvements, and adding slide warning fences.

Salmon Bay Bridge agreements finalized in 2024

In 2022, WSDOT was awarded a $25 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant to rehabilitate the Salmon Bay Bridge, north of Seattle over the Ballard Locks. BNSF Railway is funding the remainder of the $110 million project.

This 100-year-old bridge serves more than 40 trains a day, including Amtrak Cascades, Amtrak's long-distance Empire Builder and Sound Transit's Sounder trains. It also opens and closes for marine traffic between Puget Sound and Lake Union.

Rehabilitation of the movable span of the Salmon Bay Bridge will include replacing the counterweight, the counterweight truss, six of the eight bearings, and the counterweight links with steel members with a high resistance to fatigue. Agreements with the Federal Railroad Administration were finalized in 2024.

WSDOT to upgrade switches and track on Amtrak Cascades corridor

In 2024, WSDOT was awarded a $6.45 million CRISI grant, matched by an equal amount from state and BNSF funds, to upgrade railroad switches between Everett and Vancouver, Washington. Movable point frogs (also known as a 'common crossing') are located where rails cross and help the wheels roll from one track to another and will help reduce wear on turnout components while providing a smoother ride.

Switch heaters will melt ice and snow around moving parts and help reduce weather-related train delays. All these improvements will reduce maintenance needs and associated system down-time on the Amtrak Cascades corridor, which supports both freight and passenger trains. The project is currently in the agreement phase with the Federal Railroad Administration. Once agreements are solidified, the project will move into the design phase.

2023

Palouse River & Coulee City Rail system to get improvements

In 2022, the Washington State Legislature allocated $150 million in the Move Ahead Washington package for improvements to the Palouse River & Coulee City Rail system over the next 16 years. In September 2023, WSDOT leveraged $39.2 million in state, local and private funds to receive $72.8 million in federal funds through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program grant from the Federal Railroad Administration. This provides a total project budget of $112 million for capital improvements.

The proposed improvements include replacing lightweight rail and railroad ties, rebuilding roadway crossings, and surfacing tracks. This grant work builds upon the prior Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant-funded improvements and—when coupled with other state capital contracts—substantially rehabilitates the PCC Railway System, bringing a significant portion of it to a state of good repair.

The PCC is the largest short line freight rail system in Washington, serving five eastern Washington counties: Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, and Whitman. The WSDOT-owned system allows farmers and growers to ship their agricultural products via rail from their more remote locations, thus connecting them with larger railroads, barges and container ships for distribution throughout the world.

WSDOT and BNSF use federal grants for landslide mitigation projects

WSDOT and BNSF Railway were awarded three separate federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants in 2018, 2020 and 2021 to reduce the risk of landslides at landslide-prone sites along railroad tracks between Seattle and Everett.

Two projects were funded with the 2018 grant, and they are currently under design with construction scheduled in 2023. The 2020 grant is currently in the agreement stage and will address landslide hazards at five additional locations. The 2021 grant is still being scoped. Work includes constructing walls to stop debris from reaching tracks, enhancing slope stabilization and making drainage improvements, and adding slide warning fences.

Salmon Bay Bridge awarded federal grant

In 2022, WSDOT was awarded a $25 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant to rehabilitate the Salmon Bay Bridge, north of Seattle over the Ballard Locks. BNSF Railway is funding the remainder of the $110 million project.

Rehabilitation of the movable span of the Salmon Bay Bridge will include replacing the counterweight, the counterweight truss, six of the eight bearings, and the counterweight links with steel members with a high resistance to fatigue. The project is in the agreement phase, with construction expected to begin in summer 2024.

2022

WSDOT closes out rural rail rehabilitation project, starts to make slope repairs at seven landslide-prone sights

After beginning construction in 2020, WSDOT's Washington State Rural Rail Rehabilitation project—funded by a $5.6 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation—was closed out in 2022.

This $5.6 million WSDOT project was awarded the grant in 2018 and improves strategically significant sections of the 298-mile, state-owned Palouse River and Coulee City short line rail system in eastern Washington. State and local funds were used to match the federal grant monies, providing a total of $11.2 million for capital improvements.

WSDOT and BNSF use federal grants for landslide mitigation projects

WSDOT and BNSF Railway were awarded three separate federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants in 2018, 2020 and 2021 to reduce the risk of landslides at landslide-prone sites along railroad tracks between Seattle and Everett.

Two projects were funded with the 2018 grant, and they are currently under design with construction scheduled in 2023. The 2020 grant is currently in the agreement stage and will address landslide hazards at five additional locations. The 2021 grant is still being scoped. Work includes constructing walls to stop debris from reaching tracks, enhancing slope stabilization and making drainage improvements, and adding slide warning fences.

Palouse River and Coulee City Rail System

The PCC is the largest short line freight rail system in Washington, serving five eastern Washington counties: Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, and Whitman. The WSDOT-owned system allows farmers and growers to ship their agricultural products via rail from their more remote locations, thus connecting them with larger railroads, barges and container ships for distribution throughout the world.

Salmon Bay Bridge awarded federal grant

In 2022, it was announced that WSDOT will be receiving a $25 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant to rehabilitate the Salmon Bay Bridge, north of Seattle over the Ballard locks. BNSF Railway is funding the remainder of the $110 million project.

This project is not included in the 40 rail projects currently underway since the funds have not yet been awarded to the state.

2021

WSDOT completes rural rail rehabilitation project, starts to make slope repairs at seven landslide-prone sights

After beginning construction in 2020, WSDOT's Washington State Rural Rail Rehabilitation project—funded by a $5.6 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation—was completed in 2021.

This $5.6 million WSDOT project was awarded the grant in 2018 and improves strategically significant sections of the 298-mile, state-owned Palouse River and Coulee City short line rail system in eastern Washington. State and local funds were used to match the federal grant monies, providing a total of $11.2 million for capital improvements.

WSDOT and BNSF use federal grants for landslide mitigation projects

WSDOT and BNSF Railway were awarded both a 2018 and a 2020 federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant to reduce the risk of landslides at seven landslide-prone sites along railroad tracks between Seattle and Everett.

Two projects were funded with the 2018 grant and they are currently under design with construction scheduled in 2022. The 2020 grant will address landslide hazards at five additional locations. Work includes constructing walls to stop debris from reaching tracks, enhancing slope stabilization and making drainage improvements, and adding slide warning fences.

Palouse River and Coulee City Rail System

The PCC is the largest short line freight rail system in Washington, serving five eastern Washington counties: Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, and Whitman. The WSDOT-owned system allows farmers and growers to ship their agricultural products via rail from their more remote locations, thus connecting them with larger railroads, barges and container ships for distribution throughout the world.

2020

WSDOT leverages state and private funds to obtain federal freight rail grants

In 2018, WSDOT's Washington State Rural Rail Rehabilitation project was awarded a $5.6 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Construction began in 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2021.

This WSDOT project will improve strategically significant sections of the 298-mile state-owned Palouse River and Coulee City short line rail system in eastern Washington. State and local funds are matching the federal grant monies, providing a total of $11.2 million for capital improvements.

WSDOT and BNSF match federal funds for landslide mitigation

WSDOT and BNSF Railway are matching a 2018 federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant to support a more than $10.9 million investment to reduce the risk of landslides at six landslide-prone sites along railroad tracks between Seattle and Everett. Four projects funded with this grant have been completed and two are expected to begin construction in summer 2021. Work includes walls to stop debris from reaching tracks, slope stabilization and drainage improvements, and slide warning fences.

WSDOT awards federal funds for new Ridgefield freight rail overpass

In December 2019, WSDOT awarded the construction contract for a $900,000 federally-funded project for a new freight rail overpass in Ridgefield, which will provide waterfront access for motorists and pedestrians. The project is currently under construction in Clark County.

Palouse River and Coulee City Rail System

The PCC is the largest short line freight rail system in Washington, serving five eastern Washington counties: Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, and Whitman. The WSDOT-owned system allows farmers and growers to ship their agricultural products via rail from their more remote locations, thus connecting them with larger railroads, barges and container ships for distribution throughout the world.