EDMONDS — There was never a shortage of ideas on how to solve the problem caused by ferry, train and road traffic near the city’s waterfront.
The group charged with coming up with a plan to untangle the snarl started out looking at 48 suggestions. That list has been whittled to 10.
Now it’s time for the public to take another look at the ideas and make their suggestions. The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Edmonds Library, 650 Main St.
The traffic group is considering four basic concepts to ease the congestion: an overpass, underpass, on-site improvements and some ferry terminal modifications.
This includes the possibility of moving the ferry terminal closer to the fishing pier and Dayton Street.
People can comment on the various ideas at the meeting or submit them online after the meeting, said Mike Nelson, a city councilman who is helping lead the traffic alternatives group.
Although some people have backed the idea of having railroad traffic diverted through a trench through the downtown area, “it is not practical to move the location of our current track,” BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said.
For years, the trains, auto and ferry traffic converging within a few blocks of the waterfront area have created major traffic jams. Each year some 3.8 million people either drive or walk onto the Edmonds-Kingston ferry. City officials say the more than 40 trains that typically roll through now block waterfront access for about 90 minutes each day.
If there’s an accident or a train beaks down, it can cut off access to the waterfront for hours and slow emergency responders. That’s what happened April 19 when a pedestrian died after running onto the railroad tracks as a train was approaching.
“Everything stopped for almost three hours,” Nelson said. With the train stopped on the tracks, no one could either access or leave the waterfront area. There were two medical emergencies, a woman about to deliver a baby and an injured child who needed medical attention. “The fire department had to get permission from BNSF to go through a rail car” to get to the patients, he said. “It highlights that this is a serious matter.”
One of the safety modifications being considered by the traffic group is to house emergency equipment on a site west of the railroad tracks with access provided by a pedestrian overpass.
The traffic conflicts have existed since trains, ferries and automobiles began converging in the downtown area. Historic photos show cars lined up in the 1920s waiting to board the ferry.
The traffic group’s next steps will be trying to estimate the cost of the alternatives and determining how any such plans could be funded.
The 12-member traffic advisory group was appointed by Mayor Dave Earling. Its members include representatives from the city as well as city residents, BNSF, the state transportation department Sound Transit, Community Transit, the Port of Edmonds, and the state’s ferries division.
Edmonds has a total of $690,000 to spend on the traffic planning project. The state kicked in $500,000, the city $100,000, $25,000 came from the Port of Edmonds, $50,000 from BNSF Railway, $5,000 from Community Transit and $10,000 from Sound Transit.
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.
Meeting Thursday
The Edmonds Waterfront Access study group has scheduled a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Edmonds Library’s Plaza Room, 650 Main St. The public can view displays, talk with the project team and leave comments. People can review meeting materials and provide input through May 23 at edmondswaterfrontaccess.publicmeeting.info.
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