Blaine gets $66.4 million to lift Bell Road over the train tracks
What happened: Blaine will get $66.4 million in federal money to build an overpass at the Bell Road rail crossing, the area's member of Congress announced Oct. 29.
The crossing is where Bell Road meets Peace Portal Drive, and freight and Amtrak trains cross the road there.
Trains at the crossing cause daily traffic backups and have slowed emergency response, KGMI reported.
The overpass would carry the road over the tracks, so cars and ambulances no longer stop for trains.
In 2023 the same crossing got a $9.5 million federal grant for safety and traffic work. This award is 7 times larger.
The money comes from a federal program that pays to separate roads from rail lines. Washington places got nearly $105 million this round, including $2.3 million for Mount Vernon to study 8 crossings.
What's next: Blaine has started early design and is taking public comments, KGMI reported. No construction start date is set.