EVERETT — Nothing's final as to where Sound Transit's future rail line will curve through Everett. That won't be until perhaps 2026, according to city leaders. Construction may start in 2030.
But today within Everett, decisive conversations are happening now on setting its general alignment and where rail placement goes together with the city's urban planning goals.
The city is doing its own study, looking at light pollution glare, job impacts and more, to take its recommendations to Sound Transit in May.
This is the last week Sound Transit is taking public feedback about Everett Link. Comments can be submitted through Friday. March 10 by visiting everettlink.participate.online, emailing everettlinkcomments@soundtransit.org, leaving a voicemail at 425-492-7218 or by mail to: Everett Link Extension, ATTN: Kathy Fendt, Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104.
Expected route
Entering Everett, trains would be coming from Lynnwood to stop in the Mariner area. Then they head over to near Boeing Everett. Then they'd come back to stop somewhere around Evergreen Way and Casino Road, then shoot over to either Broadway or Interstate 5 to head into downtown for the line's endpoint.
Everett desires a station at Airport Road and Highway 99, but currently not funded.
A station at Paine Field is not in the cards.
The route to downtown could go up Smith Avenue and McDougall Avenue, or it could go along Pacific Avenue next to Angel of the Winds Arena. These rails would be brand-new and elevated.
All downtown routes require significant property acquisitions along the way, the city's economic development director Dan Eernissee said. He recommends a program to help displaced businesses relocate within Everett.
Casino Road station
But what left Everett scratching its head more is where to put the station at Casino Road without hurting others.
The city recommends the station be put along Evergreen Way near the former Kmart north of Highway 526.
Another idea is to take over the Casino Square shopping center on Casino Road south of Highway 526 to put the station, but the city doesn't favor that.
If it did, the city would have to face a community of displeased residents.
Casino Road residents are widely against losing the plaza. Casino Square has a laundromat, a notary, a medical care clinic, a salon, legal services and restaurants.
"It's a cultural asset the community has," said Alvaro Guillen, the director of the group Connect Casino Road.
A Casino Square businessowner said the plaza "anchors the community."
The city nixed ideas to suggest Sound Transit places the station at the Casino Road Fred Meyer or at Dunn Lumber.
Any station option requires a land take.
Along Casino Road, the city will need to help maintain the affordable housing that has occurred "naturally," as the city's economic development director described it. The rail line undoubtedly will increase property values and could spark redevelopment.
Preparation now
The city is doing its prep work now to be far ahead, Mayor Cassie Franklin said. "We have Sound Transit coming, all of Everett is going to grow and change," Franklin said.
The whole new regional rail system runs in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. It's a big piece to what your Sound Transit 3 car tab taxes are going toward (it's $110 per $10,000 of assessed vehicle value).
In some ways, Snohomish County is outgunned: There are three county leaders on Sound Transit's board of 18 officials compared to 10 from King County.
Everett leaders already had to fight to prevent a change that cut off any stops near the Boeing Everett plant.
That battle may be done. But siting a major north-end rail maintenance facility somewhere in Everett's industrial area is another fight. Two locations Sound Transit proposes requires displacing major industrial plants: one that makes medical products and another that makes plastics.
Everett really doesn't want that to happen. Franklin said explaining this to the Sound Transit board members from King or Piece counties is sometimes difficult. In their counties, they have tech businesses that can simply relocate their office space. Everett's heavy industrial plants can't do the same, Franklin explained.
Watch the one-hour presentation on YouTube
Or go to the direct link
