BNSF Railway Co. chose Hanson to design the triple-track bridge over the Coweeman River in Kelso, Washington, to relieve a major bottleneck for trains traveling in and out of the Port of Longview. The expansion, which separated freight and passenger train traffic, greatly reduces conflict and congestion on the shared rail lines. The Washington State Department of Transportation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded the project.
The Hanson team’s design included converting a siding to a mainline; constructing more than 3 miles of new mainline track; adding three turnouts, five crossovers and three bridges; constructing a pier protection wall at a highway grade separation; and modifying one road crossing.
Hanson also served as the lead construction management firm for the construction of the civil portion of the $81.7 million project. Read this article on our blog to learn more about Hanson’s role in the capacity improvements.