Published: Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Stanwood's Amtrak train stop on schedule
Closure of the crossing at Logen Road north of the city would make room for a side track
STANWOOD -- Plans to build a new Amtrak platform in downtown Stanwood are on schedule, but the future of a railroad crossing just north of the city is undecided.
The closure of the Logen Road crossing would make way for the extension of a siding track that could allow Amtrak trains to stop at the new passenger station without disrupting Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight service.
More than 30 people showed up for a Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission meeting Thursday in Stanwood to talk about the proposed closure.
Many expressed concerns about emergency access to Stanwood over Logen Road, commission transportation safety manager Kathy Hunter said.
Logen Road (292nd Street NW) links Pioneer Highway to Old Pacific Highway north of the city limits and often is used as an alternate route in and out of Stanwood.
BNSF and Snohomish County have not yet filed a petition to close the railroad crossing, Hunter said.
During the next 30 days, the state, the county and the railroad plan to examine the use of the Dettling Road (300th Street NW) railroad crossing as an alternative to the Logen Road crossing.
Construction of the $5 million state-funded Amtrak station is expected to begin in January and be completed by June. The siding extension also is scheduled to be done by June.
Many people are eager for transportation alternatives and the potential tourism revenue that the passenger train stop might bring, Mayor Dianne White has said.
Currently, people in Stanwood have to drive to Everett or Mount Vernon to board the Amtrak Cascades train between Vancouver, B.C., and Seattle.
Those who were unable to attend last week's meeting can e-mail comments to comments@utc.wa.gov; submit a comment online at www.utc.wa.gov/comment or mail comments to UTC, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250.
Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.
The closure of the Logen Road crossing would make way for the extension of a siding track that could allow Amtrak trains to stop at the new passenger station without disrupting Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight service.
More than 30 people showed up for a Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission meeting Thursday in Stanwood to talk about the proposed closure.
Many expressed concerns about emergency access to Stanwood over Logen Road, commission transportation safety manager Kathy Hunter said.
Logen Road (292nd Street NW) links Pioneer Highway to Old Pacific Highway north of the city limits and often is used as an alternate route in and out of Stanwood.
BNSF and Snohomish County have not yet filed a petition to close the railroad crossing, Hunter said.
During the next 30 days, the state, the county and the railroad plan to examine the use of the Dettling Road (300th Street NW) railroad crossing as an alternative to the Logen Road crossing.
Construction of the $5 million state-funded Amtrak station is expected to begin in January and be completed by June. The siding extension also is scheduled to be done by June.
Many people are eager for transportation alternatives and the potential tourism revenue that the passenger train stop might bring, Mayor Dianne White has said.
Currently, people in Stanwood have to drive to Everett or Mount Vernon to board the Amtrak Cascades train between Vancouver, B.C., and Seattle.
Those who were unable to attend last week's meeting can e-mail comments to comments@utc.wa.gov; submit a comment online at www.utc.wa.gov/comment or mail comments to UTC, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250.
Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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