Rail crossing south of Wallula Junction to be improved

A $50,000 grant will be used to make safety upgrades at a rail crossing on an oil train route south of Wallula Junction.

The crossing at Port Kelly Road by the Columbia River has been identified by the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission as an under-protected crossing along an oil route.

Walla Walla County requested the grant to widen and align the approaches to the crossing to allow trains to be seen while they are farther away. The county will pay for additional costs of the $78,000 project.

About 186 vehicles use the crossing daily, including trucks delivering grain to the Tidewater grain barge facility.

This story was originally published March 13, 2016 at 11:17 PM with the headline "Rail crossing south of Wallula Junction to be improved."