Rail Crossing & Track Maintenance Projects
Port of Benton is continuing work to maintain its rail assets. Several major projects are planned for this year, as highlighted below.
These improvements will help increase train speeds, enhance safety and reduce interruptions for vehicle traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians at crossings. The projects will also support our growing local agriculture and other industries in getting their goods to market.
Additionally, the Port is following its Comprehensive Plan (Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements), the Port of Benton and City of Richland Rail Master Plan, City of Richland/Port of Benton North Horn Rapids Area Master Plan, and Port of Benton Transportation Improvement Program to plan a rail intermodal facility (also known as an inland port) on undeveloped industrial land in north Richland in partnership with the City of Richland. Read more about the proposed Intermodal Facility project.
We Hope You Were Able to Join Us!
Rail Modernization & Intermodal Facility Information Night
July 8 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Richland Public Library | Doris Roberts Gallery
955 Northgate Drive, Richland
Current Projects
Rail Crossings Upgrades & Track Maintenance
In 2024, the Port will replace the rail crossings at four intersections in Richland and perform additional crossings and track maintenance.
Each intersection will be fully closed for multiple days during construction. Detour routes will be in place and communicated well in advance.
Additionally, as part of the Port’s ongoing efforts to improve the railroad track serving the Horn Rapids Industrial Park, we will install approximately 3,000 new ties and add additional ballast along our rail line between Duportail Street and the Horn Rapids Industrial Park in north Richland. As part of the Rail Tie Replacement project, we have also completed cultural and Historical reviews of the work. See those documents in the Plans, Cultural and Historical Reviews section on this web page.
State Route 240
This project will replace the railroad crossing and replace the railroad crossing’s flashing lights and gates. The Port will continue performing asphalt and concrete maintenance on this crossing until it is replaced to sustain safe train and vehicle traffic operations.
Project Schedule & Road Closures
The Port will complete this project this summer. We will communicate the specific dates once determined.
This work will require a full road closure over a weekend with marked detours via Stevens Drive, Battelle Blvd. and Kingsgate Way.
The work window will be limited to minimize disruptions to vehicle traffic. For example, from noon on a Thursday to 6 a.m. on the following Monday.
Project Funding
$865,000 National Highway Freight Program Grant via Washington State Department of Transportation
$435,000 Port Matching Funds
Airport Way
The work at the Airport Way intersection will replace the railroad crossing and gate mechanisms and change the lights to LEDs.
Kingsgate Way
We will also replace the rail equipment and LED lights at Kingsgate Way.
Project Schedule & Road Closures
The Port will complete this project this summer. Once the specific dates are set, we will announce them.
This work will require a full road closure over a weekend with a marked detour via Terminal Drive to Van Giesen Street.
The work window will be limited to minimize disruptions to vehicle traffic. For example, from noon on a Thursday to 6 a.m. on the following Monday.
Project Funding
$1.03 Million Freight Rail Assistance Program (FRAP) Grant via Washington State Department of Transportation
$250,000 Port Grant Matching Funds
Saint Street
Crews will replace the Saint Street railroad crossing with concrete panels and install lighted crossbucks.
Project Schedule & Road Closures
The Port will complete this project this summer. Once the specific project dates are determined, we will announce them.
This project will require a full road closure over a weekend, including blocking access to and from the Moon River RV Park. Residents of the RV Park will be required to use the right in, right out onto State Route 240.
Work windows will be limited to minimize disruptions to vehicle traffic. For example, from noon on a Thursday to 6 a.m. on the following Monday.
Project Funding
$1.03 Million Freight Rail Assistance Program (FRAP) Grant via Washington State Department of Transportation
$250,000 Port Grant Matching Funds
Rail Tie Replacement
This project consists of installing approximately 3,000 new ties and adding additional ballast on the Port’s track between Duportail Street and the Horn Rapids Industrial Park.
In addition, the Port will clean up and remove former railroad ties that were replaced in past projects and left in the railroad right-of-way.
Replacing these ties will improve the track safety and extend the life of the railroad track. This work will also allow track speeds to increase from 5 to 10 mph. Future tie replacement projects will return the track to Class 2 track with speeds up to 25 mph.
Project Schedule & Impacts
During the later part of 2024 these ties and ballast will be installed in the Port’s track.
This project will take approximately eight weeks, with work from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and possible weekends.
There will be no impact on vehicle traffic, but the project will impact train traffic. We anticipate work windows late into the evenings will be likely to minimize disruptions.
Project Funding
$1.21 Million Grant from Washington State Legislature via Washington State Department of Commerce
Project Updates
Planned Projects
Rail Intermodal Facility
In partnership with the City of Richland, Port of Benton is planning to develop an intermodal facility (also known as an inland port) around an existing rail loop on undeveloped industrial land in north Richland.
Creating a rail intermodal facility in Richland will give eastern Washington companies experiencing growth and demand for their domestic and global products additional capacity to get their goods to market.
Click the learn more button to visit our Rail Intermodal Facility project page.
Communications & Outreach
The Port is engaging with the public, partners and other stakeholders to gather input on plans for an intermodal facility north of Richland.
As we plan public information sessions and site visits, we will announce those in multiple ways, including via our mailing list. Please be sure to sign up to receive our eNews in your inbox for the latest updates and announcements.
2024
Minutes & Recordings of Public Port Commission Meetings
Meeting Archive Center
Public Meeting Slide Deck
July 8, 2024
Richland Public Library
Port Planning Intermodal Facility & Rail Improvements
Newsletter Article - 2024 - Coming Soon!
Inter-Tribal Advisory Board Update
April 25, 2024
Leadership Tri-Cities Economic Development Day Presentation
March 20, 2024 Three Rivers Convention Center
State of the Ports 2024 Presentation
March 12, 2024
Pasco Red Lion
2023
Washington Public Ports Association
December 7, 2023
Rail Crossings Upgrades & Track Maintenance Planned
Newsletter Article - Fall 2023
2024 Rail Crossings Projects Letter
July 10, 2023
Port of Benton Railroad
Newsletter Article - Summer 2023
Port Earns Community Engagement Award
May 23, 2023 Press Release
2022
Rail Caucus Tour
September 29, 2022
Rail Caucus Legislators Tour Tri-Cities Rail Network
Newsletter Article - Fall 2022
Port Construction Projects Updates - Rail
Newsletter Article - Fall 2022
Plans, Cultural & Historical Reviews
Rail Master Plan
Port of Benton – City or Richland
North Horn Rapids Area Master Plan
City of Richland - Port of Benton
Resources
System Map – Port of Benton Track
View Rail Map
Exhibit for Long-Term Planning Future Horn Rapids Rail Development
View Exhibit Map
Steptoe and Tapteal Intersection Plans
View Plan
FAQs
Port of Benton’s track currently has some condition issues that, for safety purposes, require trains to slow to 10 mph from Columbia Center Boulevard to Duportail Street and 5 mph from Duportail Street to the State Route 240 rail crossing.
We have several projects in the works for this year. Once those projects are complete, we intend to return the entire track to 10 mph. Port engineers and engineer consultants will work with our current rail operator to make those speed decisions.
Additionally, we are working on funding for several other track-related projects in the coming years to help us increase track speeds to the maximum allowable speed of 25 mph and work toward providing for quiet zone crossings.
It’s important to note that, depending on their length, trains could still slow down through the northern section of the track as they approach the Port’s rail yard.
Port of Benton owns 16 miles of industrial track but has very limited control over the operation or schedules of the trains.
Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, and short-line railroads operating in the Tri-Cities manage their operations and set train schedules based on when trains arrive in our community and the availability of their crews.
Federal law (enforced via the Federal Railroad Administration and the Surface Transportation Board) gives broad authority to the railroads, across the U.S. to operate when they want to meet their schedules.
The Port secured grant funding to pay for some repairs on the Columbia Park Trail bridge, the Yakima River Bridge, the I-182 Bridge, and the Jadwin rail crossing.
We also secured additional grant funding to help fund the 2022 repairs of the rail crossings along the bypass highway at Van Giesen Street and Cemetery Road in Richland.
Additionally, we’ve secured millions in federal and state grant funding to help pay for 2024 projects to replace rail crossings at Saint Street, Airport Way and State Route 240 and to install approximately 3,000 rail ties. These grants require Port matching funds of nearly $700,000.
Also, thanks to Senator Boehnke’s tireless work and support from Representatives Barnard and Connors, we received $1.21 million from the Washington State Legislature via the Washington State Department of Commerce to support the tie replacement project.
Rail History
In 1998, the Port finalized a Hanford land transfer of the 1100 Area. This transfer of land and assets from the U.S. Department of Energy to the Port included the central stores warehouse, railroad facilities and a short line rail.
The initial name for this site was Horn Rapids Industrial Park and the Horn Rapids Rail Center. This name was later changed to the Port of Benton Manufacturing Mall.
After the federal land transfers, the Port added 831 acres to its portfolio and is now one of the largest landholding ports in the state.
To read more about Port of Benton’s rail assets and history, visit our Rail and History web pages.
