Western Railroad Discussion > WA: Port Defiance Bypass. When?

Hello,

Could someone in radio land tell me more about the "Port Defiance Bypass" mentioned in Trains (p26) where the feds just coughed up $6mil for $56 million project? I looked on-line and found the WSDOT's explanation of the project: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Rail/PNWRC_PtDefiance/ .

So I was wondering about the following:

How is this route faster by "6-minutes". Don't you triple the number of grade crossings? Aren't the locals going to have something to say?

Does anyone know when they intend to get started and finished with this bypass?

Will BNSF have the right to detour freight during mud-slides and maintenance?

If they can detour will BNSF bore out Nelson Bennett?

If they could expand capacity on the Seattle Sub would the need to use the Stampede sub diminish?

Thank you in advance.

Bermanator Lacey, WA

Bermanator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello,
>
> Could someone in radio land tell me more
> about the "Port Defiance Bypass" mentioned in
> Trains (p26) where the feds just coughed up $6mil
> for $56 million project? I looked on-line and
> found the WSDOT's explanation of the project:
> http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Rail/PNWRC_PtDefi
> ance/ .
>
> So I was wondering about the following:
>
> How is this route faster by "6-minutes". Don't
> you triple the number of grade crossings? Aren't
> the locals going to have something to say?

they did - process has been going for several years


>
> Does anyone know when they intend to get
> started and finished with this bypass?


I believe construction has started or will be any time now (been away from that project for a bit) between about Alaska Street and Lakewood. Rest...well it is supposed to follow along but (....something about collapsing economy...people losing jobs so not paying taxes...stuff like that).

>
> Will BNSF have the right to detour freight
> during mud-slides and maintenance?

No

>
> If they can detour will BNSF bore out Nelson
> Bennett?

won't anyway

>
> If they could expand capacity on the Seattle
> Sub would the need to use the Stampede sub
> diminish?

No


>
> Thank you in advance.
>

TAW

To add a little to Tom's post -- a rare occurrence indeed -- the ongoing work is primarily being funded by Sound Transit to expand Sounder service from Tacoma to Lakewood. WSDOT is contributing funding to the project to construct the mainline south of 74th St. on the future MT2 alignment and build all the grade crossings from 74th through Bridgeport Way for the future 2MT configuration. However, at this time the Point (not Port) Defiance Bypass work south of Lakewood will not be funded due to various economic issues.

The route cuts time off the schedule because a) it's shorter and b) Cascades trains will be able to run at 79mph (except in a few curves) from M Street to Mounts Road.

The funding earmarked by the Feds will go towards the "missing mile" (D Street to M Street) segment of the Sounder project, which has not yet been fully designed and construction of which is not forecast to be completed until 2012. The remainder of the PDB will follow once WSDOT identifies a funding source.

-Dave
Issaquah, WA