Friday, March 29, 2024

Train station project steaming forward

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The dream of Leavenworth Mayor Rob Eaton appears to be getting closer to reality. Eaton's train station project, which he had hoped to open this fall, now seems to be on track for a fall 2009 opening, provided critical fundraising comes through as expected.

Eaton said they have almost enough funding now to complete phase one, which includes a 600-foot platform, parking, and some small passenger shelters. The interim shelter is not the elaborate shell planned for the site, but could serve a purpose until phase 2 rolls around.

"We do have a gap in our funding to get all of phase 1 complete," Eaton said. "The gap is about $300,000. Costs have risen since we started the project."

An unexpected cost that has arisen, Eaton noted, is the cost of replacing the wood ties at the station site with concrete ties. That alone is adding an additional $170,000 to the project cost.

Installing the platform is critical for 2009 because of possible changes in government regulations.

"That platform has to go in in 2009, because after that, the federal government may open the case again regarding platform heights," he said. "There is a window of opportunity there and we are going to seize upon that."

To help fill the gap, the mayor said he plans to approach the city, county, and port for funding.

He said the Port of Chelan County has been very supportive of the project, including Port President JC Baldwin, who represents the upper valley area on the Port board.

"They have been on this project from the beginning," he said of the Port. "The key thing to remember is the Port's mission is economic development. This is a key opportunity for the Port to engage in the Upper Valley to help economic development. It has been demonstrated that Amtrak ridership gives local economies a boost."

Chelan County has contributed $50,000 to the project to date, but it is uncertain whether more might be coming soon given the county's budget woes. Eaton, though, remains hopeful.

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