I am pleased to hear Snohomish County has plans to extend Centennial Trail in Snohomish with Sammamish River and Burke-Gilman trails in Woodinville. I see trails being used every day of the year by many people. Connecting them is a great thing. The part I can’t see any wisdom in is saving the train tracks. How much extra cost is going towards keeping the tracks? Is the county going to explore the cost option of removing the tracks and laying the trail in the existing rail bed and bridges? How much extra cost is going towards creating a trail and bridges next to barely used tracks? The freight train they speak of is in financial trouble and runs maybe three or four times a month. A semi truck could easily handle the freight traffic and would actually cause less traffic disruption.
The Sounder train between Everett and Seattle is losing money yet they think a commuter train between Snohomish and Woodinville is worth considering. As for the tourist train, show me a successful tourist train anytime in the state in the last 20 years. The savings of tearing out the tracks (as King County has done) and building in their place could probably fund a free shuttle bus between Woodinville and Snohomish for years to come. Build the trail, lose the tracks, and have a nice railroad display in a park next the trail to commemorate the railroad history.
David Weed
Snohomish
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