Comments on: BNSF Corridor - Cascade Bicycle Club and Cascadia Center share their views

By: Don Winters

Don Winters — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:59:21 +0000

WtbK — I don’t think residents near the tracks have anything to worry about. The trains are quiet and even if they run fairly frequently, it would not be bothersome, or so it seems to me. Nothing compared to living by the freeway, for example. I live a block away myself, and I’m not worried. The fact that we could build a system that could be a great alternative to clogged roads — and at a deep discount compared to light rail — is not an opportunity to be missed.

By: Downtown Kirklander

Downtown Kirklander — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:46:46 +0000

If we have a trail without rail, I am afraid that we will never be able to reinstall rail. Whenever a proposal to bring back rail travel arose, there would be an uproar about running trains through our residential neighborhoods.

This may sounds like a poor reason, but it’s a political truism.

By: Want to be Kirkland

Want to be Kirkland — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:26:34 +0000

I like the idea of mixed use. The idea of utilizing the rail corridor only for biking/walking makes it virtually empty and useless during many of the cold, rainy months in our area. And not everyone can bike to work for a variety of reasons,(disabilities, lack of adequate shower facilities, etc.). It should beenfit everyone and should give us all an alternate to our cars. I feel for the people who own property that borders the rail line, but the rail line has been there longer than the houses. It’s a risk you take. We should do something that benefits the majority, not just a few. I bet if there were a trial run, it would end up very popular in a very short time.

By: Charla Skaggs, Media Officer

Charla Skaggs, Media Officer — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:43:21 +0000

The Port of Seattle is very pleased that through our investment, the Eastside Rail Corridor will soon be in public ownership – and that citizens throughout King and Snohomish Counties are already communicating about how the corridor can be used going forward. The Port does not own the corridor yet; the acquisition process has been both lengthy and complicated. Below are a few key points to keep in mind as we move forward.

* The Port is making this investment to preserve dual-use options in the corridor for public-access trail and transportation uses. The Port is committed to development of a trail along a significant portion of the corridor, and we are partnering with King County to that end. The acquisition includes an application to the Surface Transportation Board for rail-banking along the southern portion of the corridor, and for rail-banking to occur, a trail must be developed.

* The federal Surface Transportation Board has not approved the transfer yet; when we’ve received their approval, the Port will launch a public process to hear from King County and Snohomish County communities about how the corridor should be used going forward. The Port Commission recently clarified that no passenger rail decisions – whether for excursion or commuter rail – on the line south of Woodinville will be made before the public process concludes. The Port intends to continue freight service to shippers and possibly an excursion train in the section north of Woodinville to Snohomish.

* Until the STB has approved the transfer, the Port will not enter into any discussions about alternate uses for the corridor. Rail carriers have contacted the Port about providing service; we are directing them to BNSF to discuss their Third-Party Operator selection process.

* There are several other rail discussions happening independent of the Port’s involvement: the State Legislature asked Sound Transit, along with the Puget Sound Regional Council, to study the feasibility of using the corridor for commuter rail on the Eastside, and that study must be complete by early 2009; Cascadia, part of the independent think tank the Discovery Institute, is generating public discussion about commuter rail; and Snohomish County has entered into an agreement with GNP for a portion of the rail line beyond the boundaries of the Port’s purchase area.

The Port of Seattle is committed to seeing the Eastside Rail Corridor used in ways that benefit all of the citizens of the region, and we look forward to hearing from the many communities and stakeholders involved as our public process begins. For up-to-date information about the acquisition process, please visit the Port’s website at http://www.portseattle.org/business/realestate/eastsiderail.shtml .