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On Jan. 9, Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARR) plans to hold an open house at the Fairbanks Rail Depot to solicit public comments on the railroad's proposed 2003 capital-improvement projects.
AAR's project managers will describe projects planned along the 611-mile freight- and passenger-railroad's system from Seward to Fairbanks.
Many of the proposed projects are partially or totally funded by Federal
Railroad Administration or Federal Transit Administration.
The projects include various siding and bridge improvements, track realignment in Nenana, installation of a collision avoidance system, access improvements to Talkeetna Depot and construction of Denali Depot.
AAR also plans to relocate its mainline around the urbanized areas of Fairbanks and North Pole. The track parallels a four-lane highway and crosses it twice, and crosses a main gate at Fort Wainwright and several downtown roads in North Pole.
The project, which will cost between $80 million and $110 million, might involve grade-separated crossings.
AAR also plans to build a $22.5 million intermodal facility and depot in Fairbanks, adjacent to the railroad's operations yard.
The facility will include a state-of-the-art train depot, additional bus parking and safe-transfer areas for passengers making travel connections on trains, buses, taxis and automobiles, and a 1,800-foot balloon track to accommodate train turnarounds.