State lawmakers, former Gov. Gary Locke and local leaders stuck their collective neck out in 2003 to induce the Boeing Co. to build its new jetliner in Washington. Facing fierce competition from other states, who offered giveaways prohibited by our state’s Constitution, they came up with a $3.2 billion incentive package for the aerospace industry that did the trick.
Hindsight confirms their wisdom, as the 787 has set sales records and contributed to a backlog of Boeing orders that has helped shield the region from the worst of the national economic downturn.
A key part of the package was an offer from the state to help build a rail-barge transfer facility where oversized jet parts could be moved efficiently to Boeing’s Everett plant. Last week, the Port of Everett’s Mount Baker Terminal began operating on a new pier near the Everett/Mukilteo border.
Despite overruns that nearly doubled the project’s cost to $30.6 million, it represents a far-sighted investment in economic growth and will eventually provide the public access to a scenic stretch of shoreline that had long been closed off. (The state is paying half the cost; the rest will come from fees paid by the facility’s users, including Boeing.)
The original idea was to use the pier to receive large 787 parts. But Boeing decided instead to ship those parts by air, so the new terminal will be used to transfer 747, 767 and 777 parts from barges to rail cars that will use a spur leading directly to Boeing’s Everett plant.
That opens new local business opportunities by increasing freight capacity along Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s mainline. Previously, oversized jet parts shipped to Everett from Japan had to be loaded onto rail cars at the Port of Everett’s Pacific Terminal, a process that forced the mainline to close for two hours. Moving the process south cuts those closures down to 15 minutes.
Thanks to the port, the large gantry crane that moves jet-part containers from barges to rail cars is powered by electricity rather than diesel fuel, making it relatively quiet and emission-free. Neighbors were included in the decision to paint the crane an unobtrusive smoky blue, and the port worked closely with area tribes to mitigate disruption of fishing areas.
And once the Air Force finally transfers its former tanker farm to the port, the public will be able to enjoy a beautiful beach area that includes 1,100 feet of shoreline, complete with an access road and trails.
The bold moves of 2003 strengthened our region’s most important industry, and continue to pay dividends.
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