Douglas County Awarded $1.76 Million to Plan Wilbur Railroad Overcrossing

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. - Douglas County has been awarded up to $1.76 million in federal funding to study and begin engineering work for a proposed railroad overcrossing on Old Highway 99 near Wilbur.

The award, announced by the county November 6, will help evaluate options for separating vehicle traffic from the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad tracks. Vehicles currently cross the tracks at the same level.

The funding covers a feasibility study and preliminary engineering. Construction would require additional funding.

According to the county, the proposed crossing is intended to improve transportation safety, emergency access and the movement of freight and rail traffic through the area. The study and engineering work will identify possible designs, evaluate project requirements and prepare the project for future construction funding opportunities.

“Securing this federal funding allows us to take an important step toward addressing the challenges associated with this railroad crossing,” Douglas County Commissioner and Board Chair Tom Kress said in the announcement.

The grant comes through the Federal Railroad Administration’s fiscal year 2025–2026 Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program. The Wilbur project was selected in the program’s Project Planning and Project Development category.

The estimated cost of the planning and preliminary engineering phase is approximately $2.2 million. The federal award of up to $1,763,336 will cover about 80% of that amount, with Douglas County providing the remaining 20%, approximately $440,835.

Kress said completing the initial work will help establish the groundwork needed to pursue additional grants for construction.

Douglas County Public Works will advance the planning effort and continue looking for funding to build the overcrossing. The county’s announcement did not include a construction schedule or an estimated construction cost.