Washington: Bell Road-BNSF Railway Grade Separation

Setting Captives Free

Challenge: For decades locals in Blaine Washington have been held prisoner in their own community. Their captors? Freight trains. Trains moving south from Canada must stop for inspection – a post 9/11 requirement. When the trains slow or stop, locals are cut off from emergency services and residents are simply stuck – sometimes for hours.

The Solution: With help from the federal infrastructure investment law, officials are moving forward with a plan to free the community. The Bell Road-BNSF Railway Grade Separation Project will create an overpass for cars and a dedicated multiuse path for pedestrians, bikes and transit. The replacement road will be realigned for better access to Interstate 5, including replacement of the Dakota Creek Bridge. For drivers in this part of northwest Washington, a functional new crossroads and more reliable commutes are just ahead.

What They’re Saying: “How many times have we had to call work to tell them we’re stuck at a train and we’d be late? And then never knowing how long the train would be, or if it was slowing down, if it would just go slow or actually stop?” – Local resident Lacie Sethney responding to a social media post from The Bellingham Herald (11/26/2018)

And…

“If they stop, you never know how longs it’s gonna take to get it moving again. We’ve seen it as long as two hours. It’s real worrisome, especially if there is a fire.” – Local resident Renate Tomsic told K5 News. (10/09/2018)