(The following story by Natalie Singer appeared on the Seattle Times website on June 25.)
SEATTLE, Wash. — Regional planning officials voted yesterday to spend $660,000 and 18 months studying the possible acquisition of a little-used 40-mile railroad corridor that slices through the Eastside.
If the corridor, owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe, is eventually transferred into public ownership, it could be turned into a bicycle and pedestrian trail. Under a federal law known as “railbanking,” the route could also one day be used for other transportation modes such as light rail. The corridor, which stretches from Renton to Snohomish, now carries the Spirit of Washington dinner train, as well as limited freight shipments.
The process of applying for the federal funds already has begun and will face final approval by several agencies this fall. If the money is allocated, the study could get under way in January.
In a preliminary inquiry earlier this year, most of the cities along the Renton-to-Snohomish corridor expressed support for preserving the route, which Burlington Northern is interested in selling.
The railroad has indicated that if there’s no public interest, the right of way — which stretches at least 100 feet wide along the line — could be sold piecemeal to private buyers.
“They just aren’t making any more railroad right of ways,” said Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg, a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council’s executive board, which approved the study yesterday. The opportunity to purchase such a long chunk of prime real estate is rare, Ladenburg added.
But some leaders also cautioned against committing to buying the line before they know how costly, and complicated, it could be. There is no cost estimate yet — that, along with the environmental impacts and possible future uses, would be determined during the study.
“I support this,” said Bellevue Councilman Conrad Lee, but “let’s take a look at what benefit [could come from] this investment.”
“It is so complex,” said Redmond Councilwoman Nancy McCormick. Her city has spent three years trying to acquire a 1.8-mile spur of the rail corridor to build a trail. “You’re going back to the 1800s researching property deeds and records.”
Tacoma Councilman Mike Lonergan was the only member yesterday who did not vote in favor of the study — he abstained. “I just have reservations that, while it’s only $660,000, what’s next? What are we getting ourselves into?” he said.