This morning online, but not yet in print, the paper has news that on Wednesday the Feds announced that Salem had won a $2.7 million RAISE grant to write a study and plan for Front Street north of Union Street.
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| Brief one-pager in announcement |
There's really not much of substance in the announcement, and so the story (paywalled) is mostly context and a rehearsal of the background.
The one-page fact sheet mentions "nine at-grade rail crossings" missing "crossing gates or warning lights." But it does not mention anything about studying relocating the rails. This remains a confusing part of the study concept. The railroad runs right down the center of Front Street there! That's a real multi-modal challenge. How it deals with the railroad will be one of the most interesting, if not absolutely the most interesting, part of the project. (And what about running a WES extension down the line, which is the former Oregon Electric route, and about which there is more and more talk?)
Earlier this year the City had said "The total budget is expected to be between $2.5 and $5.0 million." The grant amount of $2.7 million is on the low end, and that could shape expectations for the final plan.
See previous notes on the former Truitt Bros. Cannery and prospects for a future project, very much at the center of the Front Street analysis. It's hard to see the timeline on redeveloping the cannery site, since reshaping Front Street will be years away.
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