(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -BNSF just announced they’re planning on a $160 million capital improvement program here in Washington state. Part of that includes a project to add a double track from Spokane Valley to Hauser, Idaho.
BNSF tells KHQ these projects are something they do all over to make it a safe, reliable, and efficient network. This one happening in the Inland Northwest is still in the design phase.
But will this impact the drive for emergency responders?
We checked in with Spokane Valley Fire Department. Shawn Arold, the deputy chief of operations, says they’re used to adjusting to different situations and it’s something they do on a daily basis.
“Let’s say we have something going on down in this area. The battalion chiefs that are on duty will then move crews around to fill those coverage gaps,” he says.
They also have stations strategically placed in the city, both north and south of the railroad. They also plan on working with BNSF to know where the rail crossing closures will be.
The project is slated to start construction in 2019.