Yuma-Mexico rail line likely dead
Track would have linked to proposed seaport in Baja
The Associated Press
Union Pacific Corp. has no plans to revive a proposal to build a new rail line from Yuma into Mexico to serve a proposed new seaport, a company official said Thursday.
Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific and a Hong Kong-based port operator, Hutchison Port Holdings, earlier this month canceled their partnership to bid for a port project proposed for Punta Colonet in Baja California, Mexico.
The companies terminated their partnership for "strategic reasons," said Union Pacific government relations director Chris Peterson, not elaborating.
Peterson said Union Pacific would consider any new opportunities to participate in the proposed new port project, largely a response to congestion at existing West Coast ports due to imports from Asia.
However, development in the Yuma area now makes it unlikely there will be any revival of the proposal to build a spur to the proposed port site in Mexico. The line would have connected the Yuma area's portion of the railroad's existing "Sunset Route" main line between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas.
"Union Pacific is still monitoring the bidding process in Mexico but we have suspended all of our route study activity in Yuma County and Imperial County" in California, Peterson said.
He commented after an Arizona House hearing on a bill to impose new state regulatory oversight of some land acquisitions for railroad projects.
The proposed spur had drawn strong opposition from Yuma-area farmers and others who feared their property could be acquired through eminent domain and their farming operations hindered.
Asked whether Union Pacific still would consider constructing a spur to Mexico from California, Peterson said the area that was under consideration in Imperial County is sparsely populated and not seeing the same level of development as the Yuma area.
Track would have linked to proposed seaport in Baja
The Associated Press
Union Pacific Corp. has no plans to revive a proposal to build a new rail line from Yuma into Mexico to serve a proposed new seaport, a company official said Thursday.
Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific and a Hong Kong-based port operator, Hutchison Port Holdings, earlier this month canceled their partnership to bid for a port project proposed for Punta Colonet in Baja California, Mexico.
The companies terminated their partnership for "strategic reasons," said Union Pacific government relations director Chris Peterson, not elaborating.
Peterson said Union Pacific would consider any new opportunities to participate in the proposed new port project, largely a response to congestion at existing West Coast ports due to imports from Asia.
However, development in the Yuma area now makes it unlikely there will be any revival of the proposal to build a spur to the proposed port site in Mexico. The line would have connected the Yuma area's portion of the railroad's existing "Sunset Route" main line between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas.
"Union Pacific is still monitoring the bidding process in Mexico but we have suspended all of our route study activity in Yuma County and Imperial County" in California, Peterson said.
He commented after an Arizona House hearing on a bill to impose new state regulatory oversight of some land acquisitions for railroad projects.
The proposed spur had drawn strong opposition from Yuma-area farmers and others who feared their property could be acquired through eminent domain and their farming operations hindered.
Asked whether Union Pacific still would consider constructing a spur to Mexico from California, Peterson said the area that was under consideration in Imperial County is sparsely populated and not seeing the same level of development as the Yuma area.
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