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Last week, the Port of Vancouver USA’s board of commissioners approved a plan to demolish three buildings at the Washington state port for the West Vancouver Freight Access (WVFA) rail project.

Removal of the structures is necessary for the continued progress of the project — which is slated for completion in 2017 — and for the proposed expansion of grain export operations, port officials said in a prepared statement. Demolition of a warehouse, port office and restroom facility is scheduled for completion in the first quarter.

The $137 million WVFA project calls for establishing new dual-carrier rail access into the port; enhancing the port’s internal rail system; relocating port facilities and utilities to accommodate track realignment; and improving port roadways.

The project will enable freight to flow more freely through the port and along BNSF Railway Co.’s and Union Pacific Railroad’s mainlines, according to the port. In addition, WVFA will reduce congestion on the regional rail system by as much as 40 percent and more than triple the port’s rail capacity from 50,000 rail cars to about 160,000 cars annually, port officials said.