Project Update

Groundbreaking Ceremony and Open House

The Board of County Commissioners cordially invites you to a Groundbreaking Ceremony and Open House for the Geiger Spur Realignment Project.  Please join us as we celebrate the improvement of this important freight transportation link.

The Geiger Rail Spur - "Moving Bits, Bytes and Boxes"

Spokane County owns the Geiger Rail Spur which is located on the West Plains of Spokane County. A portion of the existing Geiger Spur runs inside of the secure area of Fairchild Air Force Base. Due to national security concerns, the existing connection must be removed. Spokane County intends to construct approximately 3.6 miles of track outside the base to continue freight service to existing customers along the spur line. The realigned track will connect the Geiger Spur to the Palouse Coulee City (PCC) Rail Line and interchange with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) in Cheney, WA. The realignment is scheduled to be completed by March 2009. The proposed Transload and Logistics Center would enhance service on the realigned Geiger Rail Spur by allowing new industrial customers direct access rail service in west Spokane County. New fiber optic infrastructure is planned for the length of the Geiger Rail Spur right of way to provide the Logisitcs Center and area businesses with state-of-the-art telecommunications technology.

The Geiger Transload and Logistics Center - Increasing Access to Rail

The Geiger Transload and Logistics Center would allow existing and new industrial customers in west Spokane County to have reliable access to rail service, thereby diversifying freight volume and enhancing state’s investment in the PCC-CW short-line railroad. The Transload Center would also be an important economic development anchor as Spokane moves toward becoming a major international freight and logistics hub. The Center would assist in reducing the amount of truck traffic on county and state roads in Eastern Washington, further reducing the overall cost of road repair. The Center will also provide Spokane County’s largest employer, Fairchild Air Force Base, with continued access to rail service to further enhance the base’s joint mission opportunities.

Economic Impact - Creating Over 4000 New Jobs

The Geiger Rail Spur currently serves five major industrial manufacturers with a combined annual payroll of $11 million for 400 jobs, which translates to a $66 million economic impact to the region. The realignment of the spur and construction of the Geiger Transload and Logistics Center will retain these critical manufacturing jobs and allow for new economic growth. An independent economic study of the project concluded that at build-out the Geiger Rail Spur has the potential to create over 4000 new jobs for a total economic impact of $775 million to the region.

Financial Information:

• 2003 Legislative Transportation Package (New and Used Vehicle Tax) - $3.5 million
• 2005 Partnership Funding (Weight Fees) - $1.5 million
• Department of Defense grant - $500,000
• Total Funding From All Sources - $5.5 million

Contact Information:

Chad W. Coles, P.E., Assistant County Engineer
Spokane County Public Works,
1026 West Broadway
Spokane, WA 99260-0100
(509) 477-3600

For contracting information, please contact Chad W. Coles, P.E., Assistant County Engineer at (509) 477-3600 or RFInfo@spokanecounty.org