Sandpoint Junction Connector Project
Freight rail plays an important role in the regional economy, transporting goods and commodities we all use every day.
To meet the growing needs of the communities we serve, BNSF is proposing to build a second bridge over Lake Pend Oreille, which would be adjacent to the existing rail bridge. The project will also include new bridges over Sand Creek and Bridge Street in Sandpoint.
The upgrade will reduce congestion, and help move our current freight traffic and future volumes more efficiently; this benefits all the products we carry and the passenger trains that run on our main line.
When the second bridge is completed, trains will run in both directions, reducing the need to idle while waiting to cross the existing single track. As a result, local drivers could see shorter wait times on nearby roads that cross BNSF tracks, and the flow of freight and passenger trains will be improved throughout the region.
Existing Sandpoint Bridge
- The current bridge is 4,769 feet long, or about 3/4 of a mile
- In Sandpoint, BNSF’s mainline track merges with Montana Rail Link, creating a bottleneck of multiple tracks merging into a single track across Lake Pend Oreille
- Since only one train can cross at a time, trains are often staged, leaving them idling and blocking local roadways while waiting to cross
Key Benefits of Second Bridge
- This project will enhance the movement of freight in the region, reducing congestion and benefiting commerce
- Trains running in both directions across the bridges will reduce the need for engineers to slow down or stop as they wait for clearance to cross
- Drivers could see shorter wait times on nearby roads and streets that cross BNSF tracks
- It is expected that locomotive emissions will be reduced as trains will not be idling as much or “powering up” to resume travel in the Sandpoint area
Project Timeline
BNSF began site clearing and grading in September 2019. Most of the grading for phase one of the project is complete. The last of the grading work will be completed after the bridge is in service. The bridge contractor mobilized equipment to the site in March 2020 and began limited work during the lake drawdown period.
BNSF is also paying for and building temporary and permanent trails to ensure that people can use the bike and pedestrian path throughout construction. The pedestrian tunnel being installed by BNSF will be a permanent fixture of the trail. It is crafted in the same style as the tunnel installed by the County underneath Bottle Bay Road.
In April 2020, BNSF plans to start the construction of the temporary access bridge near Dog Beach. Part of this work will include pile driving, and all work will be done in accordance with our permit guidelines. All pile driving activities will be conducted during permitted hours which are as follows:
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — within the City of Sandpoint, at Bridge Street and Sand Creek
- 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. — for the second bridge over Lake Pend Oreille
- January 2020: BNSF worked on the bike path tunnel, which included pouring footings for the tunnel and placing nearshore fill material. Upcoming work will include setting the new tunnel and starting the in-water work in Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek.
- November 2019: BNSF received final permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Sandpoint Junction Connector Project.
- September 2019: BNSF began upland work on railroad property that lies between Sand Creek and Dog Beach. This included roadway work so that we can build site access located off the highway, building temporary and permanent trail construction to ensure that the bike path can be used throughout construction, and clearing areas for new trail construction and bridge approaches.
- September 5, 2019: The U.S. Coast Guard issued the final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for BNSF Railway’s Sandpoint Junction Connector Project.
- April 1, 2019: The U.S. Coast Guard extended the comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment to May 1, 2019.
- February 6, 2019: The U.S. Coast Guard published public notice 01-19, announcing the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment.
- December 19, 2018: The U.S. Coast Guard published two public notices, 05-18 and 06-18, soliciting comments from mariners exclusively related to navigation issues in relation to the project.
- June 22, 2018: The Idaho Department of Lands approved BNSF’s permit application.
- May 23, 2018: The following BNSF presentation was given at the Idaho Department of Lands public hearings.
- December 2017: BNSF formally submitted the permitting packages.
BNSF Plays an Important Role in the Idaho Economy
- BNSF helps deliver to Idaho retailers and businesses a wide variety of consumer products, including packaged goods, clothing, appliances, electronics, and automobiles
- BNSF is one of the largest grain-hauling railroads in the United States, hauling enough grain to supply 900 million people with a year’s supply of bread
- A new car or truck is loaded onto or unloaded from a BNSF automotive train approximately every 11 seconds
Each year BNSF transports:
- Enough lumber to build more than 500,000 homes
- Enough asphalt to lay a single-lane road two times around the equator
- Enough coiled sheet steel to lay the unrolled coils end to end 12 times between New York City and Seattle
- More than 1.5 million carloads of freight in Idaho
BNSF In Idaho
Employees: 368
Combined Payroll: $29,813,136
Route Miles: 139
About BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of North America’s top transporters of consumer goods, grain and agricultural products, industrial products, housing materials, automobiles, food, and beverages. Our shipments help feed, clothe, supply, and power American homes and businesses every day.
BNSF is also one of the most technologically advanced and efficient railroads in the industry. We work continuously to improve the value of the safety, service, energy, and environmental benefits we provide to our customers and the communities we serve.
