Railroad crossing near Stanwood will get safety fixes

Published 1:30 am Monday, March 13, 2017

STANWOOD — A railroad crossing outside of Stanwood is set to get a $260,000 overhaul to make it a safer spot for drivers.

Near where the tracks cross 48th Avenue NW, warnings to drivers are inadequate and the slope on either side of the railroad limits visibility and could cause cars to high center on the tracks, according to the state Utilities and Transportation Commission.

State officials last week approved a Grade Crossing Protective Fund grant to fix some of the issues. Snohomish County Public Works had requested $262,693 for the project.

There have been three train vs. car collisions at that crossing since 2007, said Anna Gill, spokeswoman with the state commission. None were fatal. A driver was injured in the 2007 crash but no injuries were reported in 2010 or 2012.

Currently, there are stop signs, crossbucks and some warning signs on 48th near the crossing, but there’s no gate and drivers have to get close to the tracks to be able to see if a train is coming. On either side of the rails, the grade of the road makes it hard to see down the tracks and could cause some vehicles to get stuck.

“This was one of the crossings that was identified when we took an inventory of all of the crossings in the state that are a part of oil train routes,” Gill said. “We did identify it as one that needed safety improvements.”

The work to be done under the grant includes adding warning markers for drivers that have flashing LED lights and gates, along with a small building to house batteries, chargers and a system that detects oncoming trains. No changes are planned to the steep grade on either side of the tracks, Gill said.

On average, 156 vehicles cross the railroad on 48th each day. BNSF Railway sends up to 20 freight trains daily along that stretch of tracks. The trains typically travel about 60 mph.

Work is expected to be finished by the end of the year. The road and crossing likely will need to be closed for a while, but the timing of possible closures have not been decided, Gill said.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.