Eastside rail forum sketches ideas for commuter line

The effort to save the BNSF rail line from Snohomish to Renton was struggling last year while the region debated Proposition 1, the roads and transit ballot measure.

Then Prop. 1 failed, and the idea of an Eastside commuter-rail line became much more attractive, rail-preservation advocates say.

"That's the reason the political momentum completely flipped on this," said Bruce Agnew, director of the Discovery Institute's Cascadia Center think tank.

About 70 people came to a forum on Eastside commuter rail, organized by Cascadia, at Kirkland City Hall Wednesday night.

And several political leaders, including Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, Kirkland Mayor James Lauinger and Metropolitan King County Council members, have expressed support or interest in keeping the tracks for a passenger-rail line, Agnew said. Lauinger was there Wednesday, and Reardon is set to attend a forum tonight.

The Cascadia Center has also formed an umbrella group — the Eastside TRailway Partnership — designed to help raise money and gather the disparate groups pushing for commuter rail. These groups — including All Aboard Washington, Eastside Rail Now! Transportation Choices Coalition and the Cascade Bicycle Club — have different motivations and strategies, but the same goal, Agnew said.

The Port of Seattle is in final negotiations to buy the 42-mile line from BNSF. The idea of preserving the tracks, and focusing immediately on building both a recreational trail and commuter-rail line, has met with strong opposition from King County Executive Ron Sims and some other regional leaders.

The new partnership's goal is to build support among several key agencies — including the Port of Seattle, which is set to own the corridor, and Sound Transit, which could help operate the new line.

A commuter line could cost $100 million to $250 million, with a "substantial portion" coming from private investors, Agnew said. Developers could build along the line, and help bankroll much of the project, like Paul Allen and other developers did with Seattle's South Lake Union streetcar.

A pilot line, running every hour or so from Bellevue to Snohomish, could be running within a year or two, organizers said.

At Wednesday's forum, Cascadia consultants and members of the advocacy groups displayed sketches of station designs. They spent much of their time taking questions from audience members about cost, neighborhood impacts and ridership numbers.

Commuter-rail advocates shouldn't get too far ahead of themselves, as the Port of Seattle purchase isn't final yet and the rail proposal will undergo many changes, organizers said. Cascadia is holding another forum from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today at Angel Arms Works, 230 Avenue B, in Snohomish.

Ashley Bach: 206-464-2567 or abach@seattletimes.com