Amtrak reveals goals for Ephrata station improvements
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 6 months AGO
New lighting and a new cement platform are already in place at the Ephrata Amtrak stop. Improvements to the facility will make it more accessible for those with disabilities. Work is expected to continue into 2025.
R. HANS MILLER/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Construction equipment sits in a gated area Wednesday night at the intersection of Division Avenue East and Alder Street NW. That end of the local Amtrak facility is being upgraded to make it more accessible.
EPHRATA — Improvements to the Ephrata Amtrak station are expected to be completed by March of 2025, according to information provided by Kelly Just, a public relations representative for the rail line.
“The work you’ve observed consists of upgrades and improvements that will ensure a safe, efficient and comfortable travel experience for customers with disabilities. Similar projects are being carried out across Amtrak’s National Network. Barring any weather interruptions or unexpected delays, we expect project completion will occur in March, 2025,” Just said via an email conversation with the Columbia Basin Herald.
Work at the facility has been ongoing for several months and has kept Ephrata residents curious as to the scope of work. Just said the old platform is being replaced with a concrete one that will be 610 feet in length and 12 feet wide, when completed. New lighting, railings and easier-to-navigate pathways between the city’s station and parking area are being installed.
Visual inspection at the site shows that much of the cement work on the left side of the transportation center has been completed with accessible ramps in place for those in wheelchairs.
Additional accessibility and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance improvements will also be part of the project, Just said.
“Detectable warning surfaces and signage with Braille are being installed to assist customers with vision disabilities,” Just said.
The improvements at the Ephrata location aren’t unique, she said. Several stations will be seeing similar improvements nationally and Amtrak is hoping to have those improvements complete by sometime in 2029.
Amtrak is hopeful that the improvements will draw more riders, Just said.
“By making it easier for all customers to access Amtrak trains, these improvements certainly may inspire more people to choose this mode of transportation,” she said.
Construction equipment sits in a gated area Wednesday night at the intersection of Division Avenue East and Alder Street NW. That end of the local Amtrak facility is being upgraded to make it more accessible.ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
1 arrested after Highway 17 stop; detectives recover fentanyl, firearms
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Street Crimes Unit conducted a traffic stop on Highway 17 near Randolph Road and executed a search warrant Friday morning as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.
4th-year drought declaration in WA, subtle effects in the Columbia Basin
EPHRATA — Washington’s fourth straight year of drought is expected to hit some regions hard, but in Grant and Adams counties, the impacts will look different – quieter, less visible and centered underground. Statewide, the Department of Ecology issued an emergency drought declaration after a warm winter left Washington with about half its usual snowpack, raising concerns about low summer streamflows, stressed fish populations and heightened wildfire risk. Seven of the past 10 years have included drought somewhere in the state. “If you look at our mountains, the challenge we are facing is clear,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said during a press conference Wednesday. “We’re taking emergency action to protect fish, farmers and communities across Washington.”
Sleep Diagnostic Center to close after doctor’s sentencing
MOSES LAKE — The Central Washington Sleep Diagnostic Center announced it will be closing its doors effective April 30. This includes locations in Moses Lake, Spokane Valley, Brewster and Wenatchee. The announcement follows the March 25 guilty plea from Dr. Eric Edward Haeger, 57, in United States District Court to adulterating and misbranding medical devices with the intent to defraud or mislead, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “The adulterations by Dr Haeger show a dangerous disregard for the safety of his patients,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. “This is a win for patient safety, for protecting public dollars from fraud, and for ensuring citizens of Washington get necessary healthcare. This case exemplifies the great work our team is doing in collaboration with our federal partners to fight fraud and protect Washingtonians.”