Washington state DOT, FRA complete environmental study of Kelso Martin's Bluff rail project

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will host a public meeting this afternoon to solicit comments on an environmental assessment for the Kelso Martin's Bluff rail project.

Engineers and scientists recently completed the study of a proposed bypass that would upgrade existing track and add a third main track between Kelso and Longview Junction, Wash. The bypass would separate freight- and passenger-rail traffic, allowing trains to move around each other and improve reliability and on-time performance of Amtrak Cascade trains, WSDOT officials said in a press release.

The study is also available for review on the Kelso Martin’s Bluff Project website. As the federal lead agency, FRA will consider the comments prior to issuing a decision on the project. A decision is expected in early 2015. All improvements are scheduled to be fully completed by summer 2017.

Over the past two years, the state has received nearly $800 million in federal rail grants as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act high-speed rail program administered by the FRA.