Tempe is getting back nearly a half-million dollars in expenses it incurred as a result of a 2020 derailment of a Union Pacific Railroad freight train on the railroad’s bridge over Tempe Town Lake.
Union Pacific Railroad’s reimbursement of $481,715 covers repair and replacement of damaged city property, incident-response costs, traffic control and environmental testing. It was done voluntarily by the railroad and no lawsuit was filed by the city. The response included city engineers, water quality-experts and municipal utilities workers.
City Council accepted the agreement on Feb. 10.
In addition to reimbursing the city, Union Pacific spent approximately $11 million to repair and replace portions of the historic railroad bridge, which it owns, as well as repairs of portions of Rio Salado Parkway and Tempe Beach Park, including trees, streetlights and hardscape as a result of the fiery July 29, 2020 derailment.
A portion of the bridge had to be demolished and replaced.
“It is in times of crisis that you truly see the extraordinary professionalism, dedication and expertise of Tempe’s city staff and regional partners,” City Manager Andrew Ching said. “From the first moment of the railroad incident through the reimbursement, we worked together for the safety and well-being of our community. We are also thankful for the close communication and work with Union Pacific Railroad throughout this experience.”
After the early-morning cargo-train derailment of 12 cars on the historic bridge, crews from four Valley municipalities responded to extinguish the fire and remove hazardous materials. Two of the cars contained Cyclohexanone, a chemical used to make nylon, paint remover, wood stains and insecticides. None of the chemical entered Tempe Town Lake but some did get into a storm drain that empties into the Salt River bed west of Town Lake dam.
Through August, 2021, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality had conducted 70 tests at a cost of $100,000 and determined that no additional cleanup is needed. Precautionary testing continues, however. All clean-up is completed in the Salt River channel west of the dam.
The bridge was built in 1912 to traverse the Salt River on a rail line that starts on the West Coast. Portions of the damaged bridge were preserved and given to the Tempe History Museum.
