Editor:
The following letter was sent to Mayor Dave Earling and City Council Members Bloom, Buckshnis, Fraley-Monillas, Johnson, Mesaros and Petso
Subject: Safety Issues West of the BNSF Tracks on the Waterfront
Everyone agrees that access to The Edmonds waterfront is often hindered by ever-increasing and longer freight train activity that is projected to increase over time. ACE has discussed this ongoing problem at several of our recent meetings, and had presentations on both Edmonds Crossing (by Stephen Clifton) and the train trench (by Charles Gold).
Currently there are at least three long-term solutions that have been suggested:
– The Edmonds Crossing project, which is the current detailed solution in the Comprehensive Plan,
– Overhead access to the existing ferry landing area and holding lanes, and
– A train trench running North South along the existing track right of way.
All of these alternatives will require extensive study and will face an uphill battle with the State Legislature, WSDOT and BNSF for the hundreds of millions of dollars of funding that each will require. The detailed studies and planning each will require means that any of these three options are many years away from becoming reality.
There is a fourth alternative that has been suggested which does not appear to be nearly as expensive, can address immediate access for safety purposes and might also include pedestrian access over the tracks. Options to be considered include:
– Access via a small bridge that could accommodate both emergency vehicles (ambulance and possibly small fire-fighting equipment) and pedestrian traffic, from Bell Street or possible from another area farther South,
– Building a small emergency facility West of the tracks along the waterfront with ambulance and small fire-fighting capability and minimal staffing (See City of Tacoma Marine Security Operations Center, 3301 Ruston Way, $4.7 million), and
– Requiring (and funding) emergency training to those working on the waterfront.
Some or all of these options could be employed together.
The comprehensive plan currently before the council includes the following proposed new language relative to ongoing activities in the Downtown Waterfront Activity Center:
Increased concern about conflicts and safety issues related to the interaction of rail, ferry, vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
The time to act on these conflicts and safety issues is now. We have just read that the legislature has approved significant funding for studies of this problem in Edmonds, and we encourage the City and the Council to move forward on those studies as quickly as possible. More importantly, since this fourth alternative will likely be much less expensive and is not nearly as complex technically, we request that you authorize funding for it as quickly as possible to work toward some practical short term solutions. While we have been fortunate to avoid a major disaster, our luck may run out. Further, if one person is injured or has a medical emergency and cannot obtain needed short term assistance because of an accident or an oil or coal train moving more than 100 cars through downtown, that would be one person too many.
Thank you for considering this request. We look forward to seeing the City explore these short term solutions soon.
Respectfully,
The Alliance of Citizens for Edmonds (ACE)
With recent oil train derailments in the news, this should ring a bell for Edmonds. This is top priority. Multiple Cardiac arrests resulting in CPR have occurred on the west side of the tracks. Luckily those haven’t coincided with the train. Brain death starts at 7 minutes with no oxygen flowin to the brain. These trains are getting larger and more frequent. I hope we are ahead of the curve.
I agree. The long term solutions are to far in the distant future, we need to get moving on something.
It seems to me that the Port of Edmonds office and the ferry dock would be logical starting points for discussions on building a small emergency facility on the waterfront and/or the training of people who work on the waterfront. Port personnel, including security staff, and the workers at the ferry dock are a regular, daily presence at the waterfront.
Who is ACE? Who are the members that agreed on the letter?
Here’s a link to their website: https://aceedmonds.risingnova.com/about/
Yes, who is ACE and this is an excellent idea!……..
I read an article recently with Mr. Clifton talking 9!!! years (2005) ago about Edmonds Crossing..(which I hadnt heard of until the Mayor mentioned it in passing recently and confusing as such a big ta do made of our Salish Crossing)..We need something immediately and to drag this on ad nauseum for years is totally ridiculous and a waste of money……This is a simple basic solution to provide SAFETY and is inexpensive and easy to implement fast
If our government and staff cannot implement very basic infrastructure safety solutions and particularily this regarding the area at the tracks, we need to get rid of some of the old guard and old, slow ways of working…….presentations ad nauseum for years is ridiculous……
In regards to the trench idea, the tunnel project in Seattle should make everyone pause and consider how quickly a simple idea can become very complicated and outrageously expensive and maybe not even work……
We need focused, concise, solution directed (as opposed to profit directed) thinking
in regards to this basic safety issue
Ace was founded about 25 years ago by Betty Mueller and a few others. One of our first goals was to stop the effort which would have raised height limits in downtown Edmonds above the 30 ft. limit. Ace has been an effective watchdog organization weighing in on most development projects and large financial decisions made by our city.
With all due respect to Betty Mueller and whoever else considered themselves watchdogs in the past 30 years,(and they were somewhat good regarding heights) with all of the wonderful architecture that my research indicates should have been preserved, how did it come about that there are blocks and blocks in Edmonds with no historical architecture preserved or left (many blocks with only one house or none)…..only tall , beige, 70s/80s condos for blocks and blocks. This appears to have happened in the past 30 years and appears real estate and developers made a bundle in a short period of time with no regards to at least some of the historical foundation and important architecture that was here……blocks and blocks gone
My question would be to ask how this could have happened?……and I just went up and down many of these blocks yesterday……..simply amazing.
My respect goes out to the people that worked to stop building heights in this small community and I would hope more people would step forward
perhaps the city needs more effective watchdogs and shouldnt this be something we expect from our elected officials?….Watchdogs of the publics trust….The people voted in to carry out the will of the people……from my research, there seems to be many areas with conflicts of interest…….just my opinion……old saying……proofs in the pudding. We all appreciate those that have fought height limits!…..Who are the members of ACE?…..I have not been able to find any historical information on ACE.
For your information, the new website is under development, and should be done soon. The link above is to the website developer’s copy. Some of the information is obsolete and will be eliminated or changed. John Reed
Thanks all for the Information!
When people see a row of condos they don’t like they have to understand that buildings have to follow zoning and other laws.
If an area is zoned that way, no one can stop the building. However, planning laws and architectural guidelines need to be followed. So citizens need to be aware. A few years ago the home on the corner of 6th and Main was up for sale and a condo was planned. Only the poor economy prevented that happening.
Being on the Washington Heritage Register is an honorary designation and raises public awareness of historical and cultural values. It does not make a property free from any development which follows zoning laws. We hope for public spirited citizens to come forth and purchase the land or a city can decide to buy a piece of property such as the Hazel Miller Park.
Buildings are supposed to follow zoning laws, but that is not always the case in Edmonds.
Our staff has established a precedent of granting non- conforming protection to a building that violates zoning laws. They have actually ruled that a person can create a non-conforming circumstance by himself and that the non-conforming structure can be continued, maintained and even rebuilt in some circumstances according ECDC 17.40.020.
I have asked the City many times to provide the State or City law that allows a person to create a non-conforming circumstance related to a building by HIMSELF, rather than via the enactment or amendment of a zoning ordinance by the City of Edmonds – but my questions go unanswered.
One cannot assume that the City of Edmonds will make sure its zoning laws are followed.
Yes, I am well aware of the importance of the public having information before the fact rather than after and preservation education goes along way regarding historic preservation and whole blocks of architecture being randomly destroyed. Zoning has a lot to do with it and updated codes and people in government, commissions, etc. NOT having a clear conflict of interest…….We should also be able to rely on the public to join in for the greater good (commisions, public office, etc.) and without conflicts of interest so the future of this town is not buildings torn down ever 20 years for short term gains of individuals……all real estate and development double talk
People do not come to Edmonds to see these whole blocks and blocks of condos in a very small area……I believe 400 people have come in 10 years…..So, that should tell all something…..Its not just about not liking them……It is unusual to see so many and contemplate all that was torn down to accomodate this in a small area. I do dislike the beige and many joke about this……This is not what anyone would expect to SEE in a town that presents itself as an art town and artist area………..This is a simple fact
Thank you Barbara Chase for being on the Heritage Register for Washington ……One of my good friends was on the Historical Preservation Board for our U.S. so I am aware of all that that entails regarding historical preservation and how complicated it can get…..The greater good should always be brought forth first when possible and that does entail education regarding our culture and history
I would also like to point out what is happening with many, many areas all over our country. Builders and developers build their 2 or 3 story buildings right at the 5 ft. mark of a property that has a small classic house (for instance a classic 1950s 1 story rambler) and that small classic house then lies totally in the shadow of the newly built 2 or 3 story structure almost at the property line. These builders know exactly what they are doing as they then make an offer to buy (for tear down purposes only) the small classic house that no longer has any light/day light inside the structure and most of the time the owner sells because the small home has been totally changed ……and planning departments and permitting allows this…..This should be changed and planning/permitting departments should not allow this. I’m firguring that that is exactly what has happened on those streets here with block after block of these structures and ALL the classic architecture gone. This is just plain greed and nastiness by those builders /developers …..and that “do unto others” comes to mind. Is this the kind of city we want to continue to have??…….
I would also like to add, remember when voting, everything starts at the top. Is this the kind of town we want to have? where greed is everything and neighbors are pitted against each other.
This is great. I have mentioned both of these things to staff and councilmembers. Placing a small emergency facility on the W side and training workers probably makes the most sense. I would suggest building a timber bridge that provides bike/ped access and is strong enough for emergency access (see the ones at Point Wells, which I hope can hold a fire truck since there are a bunch of oil tanks on the other side of the tracks). I don’t know why people keep saying Bell St. for this crossover but, look at a map. Edmonds St. would make it a straight shot out from the firehouse to get over the tracks and turn south, and I’ve stood there and watched double stack trains go under where anything would extend outward. I also think we should be pursuing a whistleban at the downtown RR crossings. It’s not terribly expensive to fix the crossings and would likely pay for itself with increased property values. I’m far enough away that I wouldn’t see much benefit, and I’ve always liked the train sound, but I know it really impacts some people. The Edmonds Crossing project was a tax eating monstrosity that would have killed businesses by taking all the people and activity out of downtown Edmonds, putting them almost a mile away.
I’m loath to touch the vitriol about development, but just so people out there know – the height nazi freak squad doesn’t speak for everyone in Edmonds. Some of us welcome growth (not 10 story towers, but growth in 3-5 story, zero lot line, small street, classic urban form). Some of us want a vibrant community and a thriving economy. Some of us understand that preserving the larger lots and bigger family homes will depend on a corollary of more units on less land somewhere else nearby, Some of us value common sense incremental improvements. Some of us realize that protecting the most important forest and habitat requires directing our growth inward and upward, not sprawling out to the foothills. Some of us realize that more compact development and concentrations of people will make our transport system function better and provide more alternatives. You idiots lost us a bus route last year because you couldn’t get it through your heads that we need people here in order to support that service. Some of us want a place to raise our children with opportunities, and not a bunch of naysayers and nimbys delaying, and denying their generations ambition. Some of us want to welcome diverse voices and faces to participate, to live and to decide with us how we step into a common future, even if they happen to be renters or different races or religions. We want to embrace, not be abrasive to all forms of change. We want to be a place where things are happening, not a boring downward spiraling backwater where things are always stopped from happening. This too – Some of us understand that development is a low profit margin business and anybody who gets in it because they are greedy for money, will end up sorry they picked the wrong profession. The people who rail against greedy developers have the worst kind of envy and ignorance. It is truly ugly. Slumlords that prey on the poor are far worse than developers, and they are enabled by regulations that make it impossible to build new units, that trap people in rent-control situations, that disincentivize investment in upgrades to energy efficiency or safety and put all of us at risk. That’s a real danger, not a shadow looming over you. — Some of us know that the people who criticize developers, almost always live under a roof that someone else built. and when these people sell their house they will want a profit, and they will not include conditions relating to future preservation of the building. They won’t do it themselves, but they would love to force you to.
I don’t know if a small emergency building is needed, but it would be good to know what emergency training and equipment exists @ the Port. I’d view the Port as a complement to the trained EMT staff stationed around Edmonds. Yes, it is possible that a train could block access for emergency services along the waterfront. I asked a current Council member what they knew about this scenario and, in turn, they made a request of the FD for historic info. As to whether 1) a train was blocking access to the Edmonds waterfront, and, 2) an emergency occurred and the FD could not get to the person, the answer was no, the FD has not been kept from responding, in the recent times, when these two events occurred. The FD was able to manage each emergency. Certainly not the best scenario for responding to 911, and with train traffic increasing, Edmonds may not be so lucky in the future. Would also suggest that waterfront residents and businesses consider being trained as first-responders. Before doing incredible engineering projects, let’s see what can be done, in this community, to improve the life-saving capacity along the waterfront. It’s known to be an effective strategy.
We are no different then slumlords in Edmonds if we put all housing for people with lower income, vulnerable people, people with disadvantages, people who are non white, etc. at the highway……….across the U.S. crime is always at the highways…..The FBI has a map of this……and I would also l to add that historically highways are the areas where many of our “Missing” were last seen……
Remarks from one of our public officials very recently declaring “I dont live in the Bowl”…..is divisive for our community and also references to “the other Edmonds” are good examples of words that separate us…….and THIS coming from our government officials!
Again, we all live in a global society and we are all in this together on this small planet…..We need less of this……people trying to separate and tear us all apart
…….the Pledge of Allegiance is recited by all at every City Council meeting and I am reminded of the (everyone with their hand on their hearts swearing allegiance) honoring the flag as the symbol of “liberty and justice for all”
Liberty and Justice for All…..Justice for all……..and Liberty
One correction per pledge…One Nation, Under God…
Per the railroad track crossing: the 3.2+ millions grant and city monies fraudulently wasted on the 5-corners round-a-bout would have been better spent on the railroad safety crossing. The roundabout could have been built for a fraction of that cost!
A better use of other funds underwriting the rainbow and unicorn projects going on around town, e.g. Mainstreet, bike lanes in the middle of street, Sunset, 5-corners, unused cross walks, etc. could have been used collectively to address the railroad crossing safety issue,…
But election time is getting closer and officials have to point at something and say look at me, look at me, LQQKy
Priorities priorities priorities….
The “one nation under God” was only put in this pledge in the 1950s under Eisenhower…..We are a nation of many beliefs now, some of which include a god and some of which do not……the “liberty and justice for all” includes this freedom……..That was the original intent of the pledge
I have seen an antique book marker with the original pledge on it and an American flag and I believe that was more inclusive of ALL.