PRESS RELEASE--March 19, 2002

Longview, Washington - Port of Longview officials, federal, state and local funding partners and elected officials attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the Fibre Way Grade Separation on Monday, March 18, 2002 at the project site. Port of Longview Commission President Larry Larson, flanked by elected officials, officially cut the ribbon and Richard P. Wollenberg, Chairman and CEO of Longview Fibre, drove the first car across the overpass. Mr. Wollenberg was followed by a caravan of elected officials and funding partners.

The Fibre Way Grade Separation is the first phase of the Port of Longview’s Industrial Rail Corridor, a 1.5 mile rail improvement project which will provide unimpeded rail access to trains serving the Port’s industrial parks. Construction of the grade separation began in July 2001 and was completed in March 2002. Construction of the Industrial Rail Corridor is currently underway with completion expected in early 2003. The grade separation consists of a vehicular overpass at Fibre Way to separate the rail traffic on the Industrial Rail Corridor from vehicular traffic traveling to and from Longview Fibre Company.

Cost of construction for the Fibre Way Grade Separation was $6.7 million. Total cost for the grade separation project, including land acquisition, environmental mitigation, design, construction engineering services and construction was $11.9 million. The project was funded by TEA-21 federal transportation funds, state Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board funds, state Transportation Improvement Board funds, Cowlitz County funds and the Port of Longview.
 
An innovative material was incorporated into construction of the grade separation by design engineers at HNTB and Jacobs Civil. A type of styrofoam known as lightweight plastic geofoam was manufactured by Insulfoam in Kent, Washington and put in place by prime contractor Ostrander Rock and Construction Company of Longview, Washington. Approximately 4,100 16-foot long blocks of geofoam were used to construct the 30-foot high approaches to the overpass. Use of geofoam helped reduce project costs and shorten project time by reducing impacts to neighboring landowners.

Construction of the grade separation created approximately 130 full-time jobs, according to Ostrander Rock and Construction, during the nine-month construction period.

For further information regarding information contained in this press release contact Communications/Public Affairs, 360-425-3305.