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PORT OF RIDGEFIELD TO RECEIVE $1 MILLION FOR PIONEER ST. RAILROAD OVERPASS
7/30/2009 12:00:00 AM
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced Tuesday that she has secured funding for Southwest Washington transportation and economic development priorities in the Fiscal Year 2010 Senate Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill, which includes $1 million for the Port of Ridgefield’s Pioneer Street Railroad Overpass project. The funds will be used by the Port to finish the design and engineering phases of the project to 90% completion. This stage is expected to take approximately 12 months and when completed, will bring the project to a “shovel-ready” status.
The Pioneer Street Rail Overpass will provide for safe, unobstructed, and direct access to the Ridgefield waterfront, as well as to the “Carty” unit (and potentially the “River S” unit) of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. At present, safety and access to the waterfront by emergency personnel, vehicles, and pedestrians are considered extremely deficient because of the street-level rail crossings and inadequate emergency access. When completed, the overpass will eliminate two (and possibly four) of these at-grade railroad crossings, including the Mill Street crossing which has been ranked the 5th most dangerous crossing in Washington State. Closing of these crossings will increase railroad mainline capacity through the area and prepare for the extension of the high speed rail corridor between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, BC. “Increasing freight mobility in Ridgefield will not only promote redevelopment and employment at the port, but will also preserve and promote job growth and economic development in the entire Portland/Vancouver metro area,” said Joe Melroy, Port Commissioner. Access to the Port of Ridgefield, a major job center for the City of Ridgefield and the waterfront, which is scheduled for mixed use redevelopment, will also be significantly improved.
Total cost of the project is presently estimated at approximately $12.5 million with the Port contributing $2 million, $1.2 million in traffic impact fees from the City of Ridgefield, and $0.6 million from Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. With the additional $1 million in funds secured by Senator Murray, just $7.7 million in additional funding will be required to construct the project.