At its regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Aberdeen City Council voted to formally confirm Alternative 8 as the preferred geometric layout for the fully funded $74 million US 12 Highway–Rail Separation (HRS) Project.

According to a press release issued by City Engineer Nick Bird, this decision sets the design footprint for one of the region’s largest transportation safety and mobility improvements, enabling the project to advance into final design and initiate the remaining property acquisition efforts, some of which is already in progress.

“Wednesday night’s decision sets the foundation for real progress on the US 12 project,” said Aberdeen Mayor Douglas Orr. “Alternative 8 offers a practical design that helps emergency responders, reduces traffic backups, and supports East Aberdeen’s commercial area.”

According to the project brief, which can be found on the city’s website, “Highway 12 is the main thoroughfare into Aberdeen, Washington, serving an estimated 32,600 residents, freight trucks, and tourists’ vehicles each day. The rail line adjacent to US 12 transports 28,000 rail cars of cargo for export through the deep-water Port of Grays Harbor each year. The properties surrounding this 0.36-mile segment of US 12 form Aberdeen’s largest retail and commercial center, generating over $161 million in annual sales (74% of the city’s annual retail sales) and employing approximately 1,000 people. The continuous flow of vehicles, freight, and rail is critical to the region’s current and future economic growth. In addition, approximately 1.6 million tourists visit the Pacific coast communities of Ocean Shores, Westport and Seabrook, as well as the Olympic National Park and the Quinault Indian Nation, along this route each year.”

In late November of last year, the Port broke ground on its Terminal 4 Expansion and Redevelopment Project which will add more than 40,000 feet of additional rail within its Marine Terminal Complex. A month earlier, Ag Processing Inc. broke ground on a new commodity export facility at Terminal 4B. The grand opening and ribbon cutting is scheduled for Aug. 3, 2026, and rail traffic is expected to increase exponentially. The city of Aberdeen now anticipates breaking ground on the HRS Project in the first quarter of 2027.

In 2021, the city initiated preliminary design efforts for the HRS Project to address long-standing transportation safety, mobility, and freight reliability concerns caused by multiple at-grade rail crossings within the city. In 2023, the project was fully funded by the Washington state Legislature, which allowed the city to advance more detailed engineering efforts and significantly expand coordination with property owners and commercial stakeholders south of the existing rail lines.

Between May 2023 and October 2025, numerous design alternatives were developed, evaluated, and refined in collaboration with affected businesses, agencies, and property owners. Each alternative was assessed for safety performance, traffic operations, constructability, environmental considerations and potential property impacts.

Following this extensive technical analysis and stakeholder engagement, Alternative 8 emerged as the most balanced solution for public safety, operational efficiency and commercial access. The configuration improves emergency response routes, eliminates chronic congestion during train blockages, enhances pedestrian and bicycle mobility, and preserves reliable access to key commercial destinations.

Key benefits of Alternative 8 include:

Improved Public Safety: Overcrossing ramp slope reduced to 8%, meeting design guidance for emergency access and operational efficiency.

Improved Multi-modal Mobility: Overcrossing ramp provides both pedestrian and bicycle access to commercial properties.

Reduced Congestion: Eliminates traffic queues near commercial entrances and improves overall traffic flow along US 12 during train blockages.

Enhanced Access for Businesses: Ensures equitable, reliable access to commercial facilities south of the existing rail line.

Rail Safety Improvements: Project includes closure of two at-grade crossing to reduce conflict points.

Constructability and Phasing Advantages: The northeast-shifted compact roundabout allows improved construction sequencing, maintaining access for customers and delivery vehicles.

Next steps

With Alternative 8 confirmed, the project will move forward with:Advancing final design plans, specifications, and cost estimates

Environmental documentation and permit preparation

Right-of-way appraisals, negotiations, and acquisition

Ongoing property-owner coordination and stakeholder meeting

Project information and additional materials are available on the project website at: us12highwayrailseparation.participate.online