In the latest attempt to stop plans for the construction of a massive Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway hub in Wittmann, Arizona, a group is trying to change the legal definition of the very land that the project will be built on.
The Fort Worth-based railroad company announced last year that it wants to put up what will be a $3.2 billion facility that will see the construction of a terminal, distribution facilities, and warehouse.
The project, which has been called the Logistics Park Phoenix, will also include the building of a 22-acre wastewater treatment facility.
The company has described the project as a “best in class, state of the art facility,” that will lead to a reduction in local truck traffic because of the hub’s dependence on rail, “the most environmentally friendly way to move goods over land.”
But many area residents have been unimpressed with the project, saying that it will create noise pollution and environmental damage, while also lowering property values in the vicinity.
Now a group called Keep Us Rural has filed a letter of intention to incorporate Wittmann, which is officially designated by the Census Bureau as an “unincorporated community,” into an actual town.
In so doing, Wittmann, with a population of around 700 people, would have its own zoning and approval process, a move that would presumably create a roadblock for the BNSF project.
Supporters of the idea are now tasked with trying to get enough signatures to put the proposal on a local ballot, with the election most likely taking place in the spring of 2026.
August 18, 2025
By Garry Boulard
