New freeway likely dead

Building a second north-south freeway and railway parallel to I-5 in Snohomish County would be too difficult, according to a state Department of Transportation report published online Tuesday.

The state spent $500,000 to consider building a new “commerce corridor” along a route that would have gone from Oregon to the Canadian border.

The corridor could have included eight lanes of freeway, a railway for moving freight and people, and space for utilities such as electricity and natural gas lines.

“The corridor as it is defined currently is too long, has too many components and is too complex,” the report states.

The state recommends pursuing a smaller corridor from I-90 south to Chehalis. It also suggests that more study be done on how to move freight more efficiently through the Puget Sound region.

“I think, if there’s any potential, you would find it in a truck route in the central Puget Sound” area, said Barbara Ivanov, the state’s director of freight strategy and policy.

The state will forward its recommendation to the Legislature after it holds public meetings in Bellingham and Chehalis in November.

According to estimates, it could take up to 50 years to build such a second north-south corridor and would cost $42 billion to $50 billion.

The proposed corridor would have entered Snohomish County south of Monroe and cut a path north between Lake Stevens and Granite Falls on its way to Skagit County.

Backers of the study said an alternate to I-5 is worth considering because it could help the region keep its competitive edge, making it easier to ship goods to and from Asia and Canada, and promoting new job growth in the region.

Critics said the state should focus on fixing I-5 rather than on building a new freeway, which they said would destroy the rural character of the Cascade foothills and promote urban sprawl in what are now hard-to-reach rural communities.

Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.

2 trying to unseat 3-term legislator

* Republican Margaret Wiggins and Libertarian Gordon Bohnke are challenging incumbent Democrat Ruth Kagi.

By Bill Sheets

Herald Writer

State Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, will again try to fend off a challenge from Republican Margaret Wiggins of Bothell, who ran against her two years ago.

Libertarian Gordon Bohnke of Edmonds is the third candidate in the race for the Position 2 House seat in the 32nd District.

Kagi, seeking her fourth term, lists reforms in criminal justice and social programs as her biggest accomplishments. She sponsored the drug-sentencing reform act, which allows local jurisdictions to give people convicted of drug possession the option of treatment instead of prison.

“There are people who are going to prison because they’re drug addicts,” Kagi said. The point of the treatment option, she said, is to “hold them accountable for their recovery and not waste $25,000 a year on a prison bed.”

Wiggins said she supports the drug sentencing reform but believes that she, better than Kagi, could convince Republicans that it should be expanded to all jurisdictions.

“I don’t think she (Kagi) needs to be there for that to happen,” Wiggins said.

Another of Kagi’s successful bills required that decisions in child welfare cases be more “evidence-based,” she said. She also passed a bill that a child in the foster care system be kept in the same school, if possible, when moved from one home to another.

Kagi said her priority would be to continue to reform and improve social services.

Wiggins said her biggest reason for running is to improve the state’s economic climate.

“We are still in a recession in this state, while the rest of the country is coming out of it,” she said.

Wiggins said reducing regulations on business and doing performance audits on state agencies, to keep taxes down, are the best ways to help the economy.

She opposes any tax reform that would include an income tax.

“I’m mad at the fact that the Democrats are floating the income tax song and dance again,” she said.

Bohnke is not so much concerned with either of the other two candidates as he is with getting out the Libertarian message. He ran once before, in 2000 in the 21st District.

His biggest issues are to reduce taxes “and eliminate programs that they pay for and replace them with free-market private enterprise.”

He said Libertarians oppose any kind of government intrusion, including on civil liberties. “That’s not what our country was founded on,” he said.

Rep. Maralyn Chase, D-Edmonds, is running unopposed for her second full term in the Position 1 House seat.

Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Employees and patrons of the Everett Mall signed a timeline mural that traces the history of the 51-year-old indoor mall that was once considered the premier place to go shopping in the city. Thursday, March 20, 2025 (Aaron Kennedy / The Herald)
Mall mural offers nostalgic trip into the past

Past and present Everett Mall employees joined customers Thursday to view an artistic timeline of the once popular shopping mecca.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen gives his State of the City address on Thursday, March 20 in Edmonds, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor talks budget at 2025 State of the City

Mayor Mike Rosen discussed the city’s deficit and highlights from his first year in office.

Public’s help needed to find missing Arlington man

The 21-year-old left the house Sunday night without his shoes, cell phone or a jacket, and was reported missing the following morning.

The Marysville Tulalip Campus on the Tulalip Reservation, where Legacy High School is located. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Marysville board votes to keep Legacy High at current location

The move rolls back a decision the school board made in January to move the alternative high school at the start of next school year.

The former Marysville City Hall building along State Avenue on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
City of Marysville, school board amend property exchange

The city will relocate its public works facility to the district’s current headquarters, which will move to the former City Hall.

Snohomish County Elections employees Alice Salcido, left and Joseph Rzeckowski, right, pull full bins of ballots from the Snohomish County Campus ballot drop box on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County to mail ballots for Edmonds, Brier elections

Registered voters should receive their ballots by April 9 for the April 22 special election.

A stormwater diversion structure which has been given a notice for repairs along a section of the Perrinville Creek north of Stamm Overlook Park that flows into Browns Bay in Edmonds, Washington on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Edmonds Hearing Examiner decides on Perrinville Creek saga

The examiner revoked the city’s Determination of Non-Significance, forcing Edmonds to address infrastructure issues on the creek

Don Sharrett talks John Wrice through his trimming technique on Friday, March 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett barber school offers $5 haircuts — if you’re brave enough

Students get hands-on practice. Willing clients get a sweet deal.

Our Lady of Hope Fr. Joseph Altenhofen outside of his parish’s building that will be the new home of Hope ‘N Wellness on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Hope ‘N Wellness location to open Wednesday in Everett

Our Lady of Hope Church will host the social service organization at 2617 Cedar St. in Everett.

Amtrak Cascades train 517 to Portland departs from Everett Station on Saturday, Sep. 2, 2023, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Limited train service to resume on Amtrak Cascades

Trains will have less capacity for now, but service is expected to resume for some routes as early as Tuesday.

Marysville
Police: 66-year-old Marysville man dead from fatal stabbing

A neighbor found the man unconscious on the sidewalk as the result of an apparent stabbing. Police said they are looking for suspects.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Driver, suspected of DUI, hits WSP vehicle on I-5 near Everett

The trooper was blocking the HOV lane for a previous collision when his vehicle was struck Saturday morning.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.