Puget Sound &Pacific Railroad will upgrade and improve railroad crossings near the Olympic Gateway Plaza and Walmart in Aberdeen beginning this spring, the company says.
Plans include work at public grade crossings at South Newell Street, Chehalis Street, Tyler Street and Fleet Street in May with weather permitting. Work will include removing the existing “tub style” crossings, replacing ties, rail and ballast rock, installing pre-cast concrete crossing panels and raising the elevation to better match Wishkah Street.
Over time, rail and vehicle traffic along crossings causes the track to settle. The improvements will bring the tracks back to where they’re supposed to be, similar to highway repaving, the company said.
“The Puget Sound &Pacific Railroad is making these investments as part of our long-term commitment to the citizens and businesses of Grays Harbor County. We know how important infrastructure improvements are in supporting existing and future economic development,” PSAP President Joel Haka said. “While we will work diligently to minimize traffic disruptions during these railroad crossing projects, the long-term benefits to enhance safety and improve quality of life for everyone will be significant.”
Each crossing requires a full day to complete, and the company plans to have no more than two crossing under contruction at a time in an effort to minimize traffic disruptions.
The company plans to spend $4.1 million on PSAP rail infrastructure in the next year, it said in a press release.
“In addition to the crossing upgrades, our 2015 plans include upgrading bridges, replacing ties, switches and curve rail along other sections of the railroad,” PSAP General Manager Josh Connell said.
Improvements will be made to tracks in East County, including sections near Elma, however, the company said it’s too early to know where those improvements will be or when.
Throughout the coming months, PSAP will make determinations from a list of possible improvements based on need and budget.
PSAP links the Port of Grays Harbor to the national rail freight network, maintaining more than 100 miles of track in Northwest Washington and interchanging with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.
PSAP was acquired in 2012 by Genesee &Wyoming, the largest owner of short line and regional freight railroads in North America. Since acquisition, the company has invested more than $5.6 million in track upgrades, including curve work and undercutting in Elma in 2014.
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