Girdwood, Alaska, Knik River to Wasila

Alaska Railroad Commuter Rail Project

Knik River to Wasilla Track Improvements

Girdwood, Alaska

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) is proposing to improvements to a segment of railroad between Anchorage and Girdwood, Alaska. The project will realign sharp curves and rehabilitate two bridges between the Knik River and Wasilla. The track realignment will increase speeds and facilitate operations and improve safety for ARRC customers and staff. ARRC operates both freight and passenger service over the section of trackage scheduled for improvement.

The capital cost of the project is estimated to be $11,305,180 in current (2000) dollars. The FTA Section 5309 share is expected to be $9,044,144. Because the proposed New Starts share is less than $25 million, the project is exempt from the New Starts criteria, and is thus not subject to FTA’s evaluation and rating (49 U.S.C. Section 5309(e)(8)(A)).

In 1999 the ARRC undertook a study of its system titled Woodside Study, which assessed the overall condition of the railroad and the ability to undertake various types of improvements, including commuter rail. During 2000, the study identified the benefits of incrementally improving the performance of the railroad on its existing right-of-way.

FTA approved a categorical exclusion to meet NEPA requirements in July 2000. In June 2000, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved entry into preliminary engineering (PE) for the Alaska Railroad Curve Straightening and Double Tracking Project. The project was included in the Anchorage Metropolitan Transportation Study’s (AMATS/Anchorage MPO) Long Range Transportation Plan 2001 Update in April 2001. In July 2001, FTA approved this project to initiate final design.

MAP