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FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015
Vol. CXXIV, No. 147
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
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Vassault Park
Field reopens following Asarco contamination cleanup Photo Courtesy Metro Parks Tacoma Metro Parks Tacoma officials announced the field at Vassault Park recently reopened after being closed to the public for several months in order to allow turf to regrow. The Washington State Department of Ecology cleaned up contaminated soil at the park last year (see "Contaminated soil cleanup planned at Vassault Park," Tacoma Daily Index, June 16, 2014), and Metro Parks Tacoma staff reseeded the area. Earlier this month, staff decided the turf was strong enough to allow the public back onto the field at Vassault Park, located at 6100 N. 37th St., in Tacoma. Baltimore Park, located at 4716 N. Baltimore St., and Optimist Park, located at 1330 N. James St., are undergoing similar soil remediation projects this summer and will be fenced off for months afterward to allow new grass to take root. The Washington State Department of Ecology has an ongoing effort to clean up soil contaminated by toxic metals as a result of the old Asarco copper smelter's operation near Ruston. The Tacoma Smelter Plume area covers 1,000 square miles in Pierce, Thurston, and King counties. Funds to clean up Vassault Park came from a $95 million settlement with Asarco, which operated the former smelter near Ruston. Emissions from the facility contaminated a 1,000-square-mile area of surface soils with arsenic and lead, according to Washington State Department of Ecology officials.
WSDOT: Study shows need for rail investments Images Courtesy Washington State Department of Transportation Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) officials announced Thursday a new study shows more than half of the state's short line rail miles aren't up to modern standards. The evaluation was done by the WSDOT and the Washington State University Freight Policy Transportation Institute at the request of the Legislature. The final result, the Washington State Short Line Rail Inventory and Needs Assessment, was released in late June. Many of the state's 29 short line railroads are local and serve farmers in agricultural and timbergrowing communities by hauling their products to larger railroads. The study found that more than 55 percent, or 740 miles, of all short line track miles within the state are not able to efficiently handle the 286,000-pound rail cars used in modern freight transport. That means trains have to go slower on the lines, cause more wear, and cost more to operate, according to WSDOT officials. Capacity for heavier rail cars is important because products often move from short line rails to larger rail systems to reach national and global markets, according to WSDOT Freight Rail Policy and Program Manager Chris Herman and Washington State University Freight Policy Transportation Institute Assistant Director Jeremy Sage.
Because they've been neglected for many years, bringing the lines up to modern standards could cost more than $600 million. The study also highlighted the benefits of short line railroads. In addition to getting goods to market, the rail lines help cut down on roadway congestion and highway wear and tear. As an example of savings from short line railroads, the study found that Tacoma Rail alone generates public benefits in excess of $11 million annually, in addition to cost savings to businesses and shippers. Public benefits include increased safety due to reduced truck trips, as well as less wear and tear on roads. Study findings can be used by lawmakers and others to plan for future rail investments, as well as exploring funding sources. Recently, the Washington Legislature passed, and Gov. Jay Inslee signed, a new revenue package which included over $107 million for statewide freight rail track improvements. The funding includes $47 million for the state-owned short line rail system and $31 million for the Freight Rail Assistance Program, which supports economic development and rail preservation initiatives. The complete study is available online at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/ fullreports/842.1.pdf