EVERETT, Wash. — In four days, it becomes official: The trains will arrive at the station, the Everett Herald reported.
On Tuesday, Amtrak trains will begin coming and going from the city’s new landmark Everett Station on Smith Avenue. It’s a long-awaited move that drops visitors closer to Everett’s downtown and brings riders to a depot that will one day become a transportation hub for commuters, city leaders and Amtrak, officials say.
“Thanks to the foresight of the city, the state and other partners, this station will be a regional hub for all travelers, helping to provide transportation options, reduce congestion and provide economic development opportunities for the city and the region,” said Gil Mallery, Amtrak’s vice president of planning and business development.
Paul Kaftanski, who has been managing the Everett Station project for the city for nine years, said having Amtrak, Greyhound, Community Transit and Everett Transit all run through Everett Station makes public transit more accessible and attractive for travelers.
“So those considering traveling now have more reason to do so, because it’s a much-improved situation for them, and we’re very happy about that,” Kaftanski said Thursday. “And I’m anticipating a surge in Amtrak ridership, and that’s good. We want to see all of our Everett Station tenants successful.”
A public ceremony is planned for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Everett Station, 3201 Smith Ave.
Amtrak’s move means that starting Tuesday, Amtrak will no longer pick up passengers at the Bond Street station near the Everett waterfront. The Bond Street station is owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. The railroad will continue to run operations out of parts of that depot, but a decision hasn’t been made on what to do with Amtrak’s vacated space, railroad spokesman Gus Melonas said.
The two Amtrak employees once stationed at Bond Street will now work at Everett Station.
“They are kind of excited to be there,” said Kurt Laird, Amtrak’s district superintendent for the Northwest territory. “There are more people to talk to at Everett Station, and there’s a lot more activity, and it just means good things for everybody.”
Laird said the Bond Street station didn’t do a good job representing Amtrak’s product, which includes the Amtrak Cascades route from Vancouver, B.C., to Eugene, Ore., and the Empire Builder Seattle-to-Chicago line. Both routes are moving to Everett Station.
“The new station fits much better in getting passengers to come in to try the product and experience our service,” Laird said.
In September, Everett City Council members approved the final step in the long-awaited project, which moved Amtrak and also will eventually move commuter rail to Everett Station.
The council agreed to spend $726,000 to construct a commuter rail platform and commuter rail spur at Everett Station. The agreement meant the city paid the money upfront for the construction, but will be reimbursed from Sound Transit via Amtrak.
Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter rail train, with one round trip a day from Everett to Seattle, is still expected to begin at Everett Station in December 2003.
A platform was built for Amtrak right next to Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s main line, which is about 40 feet east of Everett Station. Burlington Northern owns the track and the land around it.
The plans called for construction of a Sound Transit spur and a separate Amtrak platform between the building and the main railroad tracks. Amtrak riders will have to use a walkway across the Sound Transit tracks to get to the building.
Amtrak was able to get Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s permission for the right of way, which it signed over to Everett.
Sound Transit and Burlington Northern Santa Fe are still working out the final details on the commuter rail service plans, and can build the remaining track needed in the future without disrupting Amtrak passengers.
Everett and Amtrak signed a 20-year lease, and the city is assuming Amtrak will be in business at Everett Station for that long, Kaftanski said.
Amtrak contributed $1 million to the development of the $26.2 million Everett Station, a four-story brick-and-glass structure filled with art.
“The public has been so supportive of Everett Station and the multimodes of transportation there,” city spokeswoman Dale Preboski said. “And having Amtrak arrive now is clearly an important piece of that.”