April2,2019
Ms.LaurenSwift,CentralCorridorEnvironmentalManager
WestSeattleBallardLinkExtensionsScoping
401SJacksonSt
SeattleWA98104
WSBScopingComments@SoundTransit.org
Re:WestSeattleandBallardLinkExtensionsScoping
OnbehalfthePortofSeattle(Port)andNorthwestSeaportAlliance(NWSA),thankyouforthe
opportunitytoprovidescopingcommentstobegintheNEPA/SEPAenvironmentalreview.
In1911,thePortofSeattlewasauthorizedbythecitizensofKingCountyunderChapter53ofthe
RevisedCodeofWashingtontoserveasapublicportauthority,chargedwithensuringthatSeattle’s
deep‐waterharborisprotectedtoserveasaneconomicenginefortheregion.In2015,theportsof
SeattleandTacomaformedamarinecargooperatingpartnership,theNWSA.TheAllianceisthefourth‐
largestcontainergatewayinNorthAmerica.
ThePortandAllianceoperateandmaintainthemorethan$1billionininvestmentsmadeintomaritime
andindustrialoperations,andworktoprotectthetensofthousandsoffamily‐wagejobsand$4.0billion
inrevenuethatthesesectorsgeneratefortheregionandstate.ThePortandNWSAareassetsof
statewidesignificance,servingascriticalgatewaysfortheagriculturalproducersandmanufacturers
acrossWashington.Thesegatewayscannotbereplicatedelsewhereandprovideacrucialfunctioninthe
resiliencyofourstate’seconomy.Thesefacilitiescouldbeheavilyimpactedatthesouth,central,and
northendsoftheproposedalignments.Noothersingleagencyorentityissimilarlyimpacted,anditis
imperativethatalleffortsaremadetoavoidand/ormitigateadverseimpactstothesecrucialeconomic
assetswhereverpossible.
Asstatedinourearlyscopingletter,wehavethreeprimaryobjectivesforSoundTransit3projects:
1.
EnhanceservicetoSea‐TacAirportforpassengersandemployees,fromawebofcit
ies
throughou
ttheregion;
2.
StrengthenaccesstoPortfacilities,bothexistingandfuturedevelopments;an
d
3.
Improveregionaltransportationforpersonalmobility,whileprotectingmaritim
eand
industriallan
dusesandfreightmobili
ty.
Weappre
ciateSoundTransit’sbroadstakeholderengagementonthedevelopmentofalternativesfor
extensionstoWestSeattleandBallard,andthedirectengagementofdesignandplanningstaffwith
agenciesintheproposedalignments.
Item No: 11a_attach
Meeting Date: April 12, 2022
PortofSeattleandNWSeaportAlliance Page2
WestSeattleBallardLinkScopingComments
April2,2019
SoundTransitstaffhasworkedcloselywithPortandNWSAstafftobetterunderstandandworktowards
addressingconcernsnearportterminalsbothduringconstructionandduringlinklightrailoperations.
Proposedroutes,especiallynorthoftheSpokaneStreetcorridor,havethepotentialtocreatesignificant
negativeimpactsoncargooperationsandwater‐dependentlogisticfunctions,withresultingnegative
economiceffectsacrossseveralindustries,farbeyondtheSeattleharborandKingCounty.
Particularlyproblematic,theexpectedimpactsduringtheestimatedfive‐yearconstructionperiodcould
damageinternationalcontainercargooperationsandsignificantlycontributetotruckandothertrafficin
thealreadycongestedSpokaneStreetcorridor.Weremainunconvincedthatthepotentialeffects,
especiallywitharoutenorthoftheSpokaneStreetcorridor,couldbemitigatedforthePort,theNWSA,
andothermaritime/industrialbusinesses.Fromourperspective,thisisnotsufficientlycoveredbythe
currentapproachtomeasuringtheeconomicimpactsoftheproject,yetitisessentialinensuringthe
continuedeconomicviabilityofthesebusinesses.
Theaccompanyingdocumentoutlinestheareaswhereathoroughreviewofproposedalignmentsis
necessarytodeterminehowtheycouldimpactthepublicbenefitthePortandtheNWSAarecharged
withproviding.
WestSeattleSegment
SpokaneStreetCorridoralignmentscouldposesignificanteconomic,environmentaland
operationalimpactsnotonlytoPortandNWSAfacilities,buttomaritimeindustrialbusinesses
thatmusthavewaterfrontaccesstosurvive.Proposedalignmentsmustensurethosefacilities
remainfullyoperationalduringandafterconstruction,whileensuringaccessfortrucksandrail
servingthosefacilities.AcrossingnorthoftheSpokaneStreetmustbegivenathoroughreview
toensurethatthecostestimatesaswellasimpactsareaccuratelygauged.
PleaseevaluateDuwamishcrossingalignmentslightlyfarthersouththanthatconsideredinthe
representativealignment,acrossthefarsoutherntipofHarborIsland,todetermineifthis
alignmentmaypresentopportunitiestofurtherreduceimpactstoexistingbusinesses.
Interbay/BallardSegment
Moveablebridgesacrosstheshipcanalmayhavesignificantimpactsonmaritimemobilityas
wellastransit,andthecost,operational,andenvironmentaleffectsshouldbestudiedaspartof
theenvironmentalreviewprocess.
SmithCovestationlocationwillhavesignificantimpactstoridership,withthelocationonthe
westsideofthecorridorappearingtoservemoredevelopedlanduses,andcapturingpotential
ridersfromPortproperties,includingemployeesandcruisepassengers.
ThankyouforyourinvitationtothePorttoserveasaCooperatingAgencyandtotheNWSAasa
ParticipatingAgency,roleswebelievewillfurtherongoingcooperationbetweenouragencies.Wehave
expressedourinterestinenteringintoapartnershipagreementtodefinerolesandresponsibilityinhow
theagencieswillworktogetheronprojectplanningandenvironmentaldocumentation.
PortofSeattleandNWSeaportAlliance Page3
WestSeattleBallardLinkScopingComments
April2,2019
Weaskthattheseimpactseffectsbefullyvettedthroughtheenvironmentalreviewprocess,andthat
theBoarddesignatearoutealignmentwithasoutherncrossingoftheSpokaneStreetcorridorasthe
preferredalternative.Pleasereferenceourdetailedscopingcommentsattached.Thankyouforyour
considerationandwelookforwardtoourcontinuedinvolvement.
Sincerely,
StephenP.Metruck
ExecutiveDirector
PortofSeattle
JohnWolfe
ChiefExecutiveOfficer
NorthwestSeaportAlliance
AttachA–TechnicalComments
AttachB–POS‐Cooperatingagencyacceptance
AttachC–NWSA‐Participatingagencyacceptance
AttachD–POS/NWSAEarlyScopingcomments,March2018
AttachE–POS/NWSALevel2commentsSept2018