(Slide deck shown for T-5 update at this week’s meeting)

No tenant yet for Terminal 5 in West Seattle – but port commissioners took steps this week to get closer to readiness for the modernization project they’ll launch if and when one is signed.

As previewed here Monday night, the steps were taken at Tuesday’s meeting of Seattle and Tacoma port commissioners as managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance.

One intriguing question was debated toward meeting’s end – Could, and should, the port pursue a “railroad quiet zone” even before, or without, signing a tenant? Specifically, commissioner Fred Felleman wondered whether it would be the right thing to do for the community.

Currently, the “quiet zone” is a condition that will have to be met for the modernized T-5, but train horns long have been a vexing issue for nearby residents, particularly on Pigeon Point. (Here’s one story we published in 2008, which also includes a summary of what a “quiet zone” entails.)

Before voting on what port staff called an “important milestone” in getting ready for T-5 modernization, three years after the terminal was closed, they got a briefing on where things stand.

(2015 photo of T-5 by Long Bach Nguyen)

They were told that an area resident’s appeal of the “shoreline substantial development” permit was settled a week and a half ago. The appeal, staff said, was mostly focused on concerns about construction noise, especially pile driving. The settlement includes a promise not to pile-drive on Sundays and federal holidays.

The building permit could be “essentially ready to go” in as little as a month and a half, as the result of other agreements approved by commissioners, with other parties including two tribes. If the tribes have no further issues, the Army Corps of Engineers could issue a permit within about a month.

Commissioners wondered whether the permits might be getting issued too soon, considering there’s no tenant, and asked how long they would be good for. Reply: Seven years in all – they would have three years to start the construction, then three years to complete it with up to a year’s extension.

As for the “quiet zone,” that process is starting early, port staff said, because “to be blunt, we have to deal with Burlington Northern, and they are very safety conscious.” While the port is agreeing to cover the $5 million cost, it was explained that the permits would be sought by SDOT, while the railroad “helps design and will actually implement it.”

So, the question then came up, would the “quiet zone” be built if there’s no T-5 tenant?

No, was the reply, “because it’s a condition” of the T-5 project. “We’re not building anything without a tenant.” But – it was clarified at that point – it COULD be built without a tenant. And that’s when Felleman suggested considering whether there might be “community benefit” no matter what.

After the commissioners voted to approve everything brought before them regarding T-5 – see the agenda items, with documents linked, here – they got budget updates, including a mention that interim uses of T-5, including military ships that have spent time there in the past few months (the Military Sealift Command ship Sgt. Matej Kocak and the recently seen Missile Defense Agency radar ship SS Pacific Tracker), have brought in about $1 million. The decommissioning of cranes at T-5, meantime, has been delayed. Next year’s budget timetable was mentioned – a public hearing on the Seattle-specific budget is planned November 14th, wth adoption November 28th.

(We monitored this meeting, held at Sea-Tac Airport, via its livestream on Tuesday. The archived video is not yet available online.)

SIDE NOTE: T-5 will undoubtedly be a topic when the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce gets its annual “State of the Port” briefing September 14th at Jack Block Park.