PCC Short Line | Investment Case Study
Shared Investment in Action: The Palouse River-Coulee City (PCC) short line railroad spans five counties in Southeast Washington and is responsible for moving a variety of agricultural commodities to local ports and intermodal facilities. The short line, which has been owned and managed by Washington State Department of Transportation since 2004, exemplifies a successful case study of public-private investment to enhance infrastructure and supply chain performance, and demonstrates the power of shared investment in driving economic growth. Learn more about the rail line below.
The following information is courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation.
Overview of PCC Short Line Railroad
The PCC railroad is located in Southeastern Washington and serves Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams and Whitman counties. The short line was purchased by Washington Department of Transportation in 2004 and 2007, and is leased to railroad operators who provide freight services along the corridor. Business and economic development of the short line is managed by the PCC Rail Authority — an intergovernmental entity formed by the five counties along the route. WSDOT funds capital improvements along the short line to build resiliency and enhance supply chain efficiency.
State Funding & Strategic Goals
WSDOT’s PCC Strategic Plan and State Rail Plan include the need for track and signal modernization, weight limit increases, increased speeds and improved resiliency.
The Washington State Legislature allocates $6.7 million every two years to the PCC system through 2031. This funding is allocated through Connecting Washington.
The PCC system is allocated $150 million for capital improvements through Move Ahead Washington funds in the 2021 Transportation budget.
Since 2012, private investments in the PCC have exceeded $80 million.
Federal Investments
Over the last 15 years, WSDOT Rail, Freight and Ports Division received 22 of the 25 federal grants applied for — totaling $1.5 billion.
Awarded $116 million in federal funding from three grants, combined with $65.3 million in state private contributions
$6.45 million CRISI grant to upgrade railroad switches between Everett and Vancouver, WA
$25 million INFRA grant to rehabilitate the Salmon Bay Bridge in north Seattle
Three landslide mitigation grants enabled Washington state to leverage $4.5 million in state funds into more than $12 million in total project funding through federal grants and BNSF Railway contributions
