SEATTLE — The Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission has approved $120,000 in grants to improve 20 grade crossings on the Central Washington Railroad in the Yakima Valley. Eighteen of the grants will be used to replace batteries in warning lights, while the remaining two will be used to replace batteries and LED lights.
The grants for battery replacements range between $5,100 and $5,700 each, while the LED and battery replacement grants were for $9,600 and $10,200. The railroad will cover costs over the grant amounts, the UTC said, including labor.
The grants were issued for projects in the Yakima Valley communities of Moxee, Yakima, Sunnyside, and Grandview.
The Central Washington operates on about 80 miles of track in the Yakima Valley and is owned by short line operator Brig Temple.
