The Uinta Basin Railway was one of the main presentations at the Vernal Chamber luncheon last week. Mike McKee, Executive Director of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, shared that the Surface Transportation Board’s Final EIS was released on August 6th and making a final decision is up next after a final consideration period. The Uinta Basin Railway aims to solve a long-standing freight transportation challenge by connecting the Uintah Basin to the national railway network. The project is a public-private partnership between the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, Drexel Hamilton Infrastructure Partners, and the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation. Pending final approval, the project could enter into the design phase in 2022 with construction underway in 2023. McKee’s presentation included mention of the proposed railway routes. Four proposed alternatives were presented that reflected the lowest cost to construct and operate and with the fewest impacts. The Final EIS identified the Whitmore Park alternative as the preferred route. To access the Draft EIS and the Final EIS, and for more information, including all public and agency comments and online meeting transcripts, please visit the website at www.UintaBasinRailwayEIS.com.
