The recent article on building a NASCAR racetrack in the Northwest pointed out many positive benefits. Well, actually there were only two benefits mentioned: economic and availability of a track to fans. Data support the claim that a track generates income and jobs. (The track itself doesn’t create many jobs, but jobs are created by businesses servicing the fans.) And it would be nice for racing fans to have a large track within easy traveling distance.
I am not opposed to a NASCAR racetrack in Washington. We need the money and the jobs. I am opposed to this track being built between Arlington and Marysville. The impact on our communities will be devastating. This area is too built out with thousands of homes sitting on the boundaries and within the track’s impact range. Even if new roads and bridges are built, there is simply no way to bring 80,000 people into this area without massively disrupting our daily lives. Tracks in other regions are in use 200 or more days a year, and while many of the events will draw smaller crowds they still pull in a huge number of people. These tracks make money by attracting a lot of people for a lot of the days of the year to a lot of events. And many of these events are noisy.
Those of us who have lived in an area where there was a racetrack can testify that racetracks are purposefully extremely noisy, and this noise travels for many miles. People that say there are ways to control the noise are either misinformed or they are deluding themselves. Don’t let them delude you. Sound follows the rules of physics, not wishful thinking. Officials need to think long and hard before they invite NASCAR into our neighborhoods.
Arlington
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