TUESDAY: Terminal 5 modernization, port-truck backup relief on Northwest Seaport Alliance agenda

Two items of West Seattle interest on the agenda as the Seattle and Tacoma port commissioners meet together tomorrow as managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance:

TERMINAL 5 MODERNIZATION: While port reps have said recently that there’s no tenant yet for an expanded Terminal 5 in West Seattle, tomorrow’s NWSA meeting includes authorization for actions related to the “modernization” project, which could be authorized for construction as soon as November if there’s a tenant commitment by then. The items on tomorrow’s agenda include raising the spending authorization to $25.4 million, with authorization/funding of $5.2 million for “planning, design, and construction of a railroad quiet zone” near T-5. The agenda item also includes agreements with the city for closing West Marginal Way SW north of Spokane in the future, and an Air Quality Management Program, as well as agreements with two tribes. Here’s the slide deck:

Other documents are downloadable from the agenda.

PORT TRUCK BACKUP RELIEF: The commissioners will be asked to authorize spending up to $2 million to “expand gate hours at … international terminals during the 2017 peak season,” which, according to the agenda memo, starts in August and continues through December. NWSA/port reps talked about the backups at last week’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting (WSB coverage here).

MEETING INFO: The aforementioned items are on the part of tomorrow’s agenda that is scheduled to start at 11:30 am Tuesday at the Sea-Tac Airport Conference Center, with a public-comment period before the action items.

4 Replies to "TUESDAY: Terminal 5 modernization, port-truck backup relief on Northwest Seaport Alliance agenda"

  • Jim August 1, 2017 (9:23 am)

    For those who cannot attend the meeting, you can watch it live at: http://portal.veconnect.us/p/nwseaportalliance      They will also post a video of the meeting at that site when they get around to it.

    Two incumbents are on the Commission running for re-election.   Watch the meeting and see if you like what they have to say. 

  • NorthofAdmiral August 1, 2017 (10:42 am)

    $5.2 M for railroad quiet zone?

    Could we start by asking them not to blare their horns at 2am and spend the money on something else, please?

  • Jim August 1, 2017 (2:03 pm)

    The engineer is legally required to blare the horn at intersections.  Stopping the trains from moving at night would be one solution.  Closing all crossing streets would be another.  Absent those, it’s a Quiet Zone.

    • WSB August 1, 2017 (2:10 pm)

      I watched the meeting – would have liked to have gone in person but couldn’t spare the travel time – will be writing a separate story later but one interesting note: Commissioner Felleman stressed the point of whether they could go ahead with the quiet zone even if the T-5 project doesn’t happen (no tenant). Port staff said, yes, they could. Otherwise, it was stressed that they’re starting the process now because it’s long and arduous – TR

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