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Last week, the Washington state legislature passed a 2009-11 transportation budget, which includes $1 million for Portland Vancouver Junction Railroad’s (PVJR) track rehabilitation project.

The Clark County/Chelatchie Prairie Rail Line project calls for upgrading a 33-mile line between Vancouver and Chelatchie, Wash., in two phases. Under Phase 1, PVJR would upgrade the line to Class 2 (25 mph) condition between Vancouver and Battle Ground; under Phase 2, the short line would upgrade the line from Battle Ground to Chelatchie to Class 2 condition. The $1 million state grant will help fund Phase 1 upgrades.

The short line and Clark County have worked together to promote the project to state officials and secure the funding, said PVJR President Eric Temple in a prepared statement. In 2004, the railroad obtained a long-term lease from Clark County to operate the Chelatchie Prairie Line.