Eastside Rail Corridor
{{Short description|Rail trail in Washington state}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
| name = Eastrail
| embed =
| cellstyle =
| title =
| photo = Eastside Rail Corridor.png
| photo_size =
| caption = Eastside Rail Corridor route
| location = Eastside King County Snohomish County, Washington, US
| designation =
| established =
| length = {{convert|15.6|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| trailheads = Renton (southern terminus)
City of Snohomish near Snohomish Junction (northern terminus)
| use = Hiking/Biking, Freight Railroad
| elev_gain_and_loss =
| elev_change =
| highest = {{convert|200|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Kirkland near Peter Kirk Elem.
| lowest = {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Lake Washington shoreline
| grade =
| difficulty =
| season =
| months =
| sights =
| hazards =
| surface =
| ROW = Northern Pacific's "Belt Line" and Burlington Northern's Woodinville Subdivision
| website = https://eastrail.org/
}}
The Eastside Rail Corridor, officially Eastrail, is a rail right of way where a rail trail has been under development in the Eastside suburbs of Seattle, Washington. The corridor follows the path of the former Woodinville Subdivision from Renton to the City of Snohomish at Snohomish Junction.
History
=Acquisition=
File:Cross Kirkland Corridor sign.jpg in 2013, prior to removal of rails and resurfacing]]
In the 2000s, Sound Transit studied plans to reactivate the Woodinville Subdivision for regular commuter rail service between Snohomish and Renton, but ultimately did not include it in any funding or expansion packages.{{cite news |last=Bach |first=Ashley |date=February 2, 2008 |title=Sound Transit gives rail line a boost |page=B3 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2004160217_railline02e.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121065956/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2004160217_railline02e.html |archive-date=November 21, 2008 |accessdate=December 25, 2024}}{{cite news |last=Hall |first=C.B. |date=November 12, 2012 |title=Eastside rail: The Humpty Dumpty of Northwest transportation |url=https://www.cascadepbs.org/2012/11/eastside-rail-humpty-dumpty-northwest-transportati |work=Crosscut.com |accessdate=December 25, 2024}}
The Port of Seattle acquired the right of way of the former Woodinville Subdivision from BNSF Railway through purchase and donation in 2008.{{citation|url=http://www.portseattle.org/Business/Properties/Properties-for-Lease/Pages/Eastside-Rail-Corridor.aspx|publisher=Port of Seattle|title=Eastside Rail Corridor}} On December 10, 2012, the King County Council approved purchase of {{convert|15.6|mi|km}} of the right-of-way from Port of Seattle.{{citation|publisher=Metropolitan King County Council|title=Eastside Rail Corridor|url=http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/issues/corridor.aspx|date=December 10, 2012|accessdate=2012-12-14}} A portion of the central corridor, named the Cross Kirkland Corridor, is owned by the City of Kirkland; a spur to Redmond, named the Redmond Central Connector, is owned by the City of Redmond;{{citation|url=http://www.redmond.gov/cms/one.aspx?objectId=83186|publisher=City of Redmond|title=Redmond Central Connector Phase 1|accessdate=2013-03-06}} a portion in downtown Bellevue was purchased by Sound Transit,{{citation|title=Eastside Rail Corridor|publisher=King County, Washington|date=February 19, 2013|url=http://www.kingcounty.gov/operations/erc-advisory-council.aspx}} and a northern portion of the corridor remains Port property for dual use as a trail and freight line. Some state residents brought suit against the Port of Seattle because the purchase was not used for freight in its entirety.{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Lawsuit-Purchase-of-Eastside-rail-corridor-was-895585.php|publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|title=Lawsuit: Purchase of Eastside rail corridor was illegal|author=Scott Gutierrez|date=August 30, 2010|accessdate=2012-12-14}}{{Update after|2014|6|9|Rail transport articles in need of updating}} In 2016, Snohomish County acquired the right of way from the King–Snohomish County line at Woodinville north to the city of Snohomish.{{citation|url=https://snohomishcountywa.gov/561/Eastside-Rail-Project|publisher=Snohomish County|title=Centennial Trail South}}
=Opening=
File:Cross Kirkland Corridor sign 2015.JPG
In January, 2015, the {{convert|5.75|mile|adj=on}} Kirkland portion of the Eastside Rail Corridor, with compacted gravel surfacing, opened for pedestrians and bicyclists.{{citation|title=Longest stretch of Eastside Rail Corridor opens in Kirkland|author=Alexa Vaughn|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=January 31, 2015|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside-trail-project-taking-a-big-step-forward/|access-date=2019-07-09}}{{citation|title=Kirkland's new trail changes everything|date=February 2, 2015 |author=Tom Fucoloro|work=Seattle Bike Blog|url=http://www.seattlebikeblog.com/2015/02/02/kirklands-new-trail-changes-everything/}}
The Kirkland–Bellevue section was opened in July 2018, connecting State Route 520 (and its bike trail) to the Spring District.{{cite news |last=Pappas |first=Evan |date=July 5, 2018 |title=King County opens first section of Eastside Railway Corridor connection |url=http://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/king-county-opens-first-section-of-eastside-railway-corridor-connection/ |work=Kirkland Reporter |accessdate=July 6, 2018}} It was christened as Eastrail on July 20, 2019.{{cite press release |date=July 20, 2019 |title=Unveiling Eastrail – previously known as Eastside Rail Corridor – and a new partnership to complete the 42-mile trail connected to Link light rail |url=https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/news/release/2019/July/20-unveiling-eastrail.aspx |publisher=King County |accessdate=July 22, 2019}}
=Eastside Greenway Alliance=
In January 2016, community leaders gathered in Bellevue, Washington, for a one day summit about transforming the {{convert|28|mile|km}} Eastside Rail Corridor into a multi-use trail. Prior to the meeting, planning and construction of various corridor segments had been underway for years.
The group envisioned a partnership of established and reputable regional and national nonprofits to collectively advocate for the trail. The Alliance would initially be co-led by Cascade Bicycle Club and The Trust for Public Land.{{citation|title=Eastside Greenway Alliance|date=May 17, 2017|url=http://eastsidegreenway.org}}
Cities and connections
Cities through which the corridor passes include:
- Renton
- Newcastle
- Bellevue
- Kirkland ({{vanchor|Cross Kirkland Corridor}}){{citation|title=Cross Kirkland Corridor|publisher=City of Kirkland|url=http://www.kirklandwa.gov/Community/Cross_Kirkland_Corridor.htm|year=2012}}
- Redmond (Redmond Central Connector)
- Woodinville
- Snohomish
=Trail connections=
If constructed as proposed by King County, these other trails would or could link to the Eastside Rail Corridor:{{cite web|url=http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/connections/railtrail.aspx|title=The Eastside rail trail corridor|publisher=King County executive|date=January 26, 2009|accessdate=2012-12-14}}
- Burke-Gilman Trail / Sammamish River Trail
- East Lake Sammamish Trail
- Cedar River Trail
- Soos Creek Trail
- Snoqualmie Valley Trail
- Green River Trail
- Interurban Trail
- Snohomish County Centennial Trail
- Lake-to-Lake Trail (Bellevue)
- Lake-to-Sound Trail (Renton to Des Moines)
- Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail (I-90)
- State Route 520 Trail
- Tolt Pipeline Trail
- Bear Creek Trail (Redmond)
Railroad ownership
BNSF sold the running rights to Tom Payne, GNP Railway, between Woodinville and Snohomish in conjunction with the sale to the Port of Seattle. GNP's partner, Ballard Terminal Railroad, took over freight operations from BNSF Railway in January 2010. By 2011 Ballard Terminal Railroad was filing with other creditors in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for an involuntary reorganization of GNP.
A short line terminal railroad operating in Seattle, the Ballard Terminal Railroad, filed suit in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington and petitioned the Surface Transportation Board on April 1, 2013, seeking to prevent the City of Kirkland from removing the rail tracks for the planned trail. The Ballard Terminal Railroad wanted to keep the tracks intact for future rail freight use. On May 3, 2013, Federal District Court Judge Marsha Pechman granted the City of Kirkland's motion to dismiss the case filed by Ballard Terminal Railroad Company seeking to prevent rail salvage on the Cross Kirkland Corridor. In her oral ruling, Judge Pechman stated the Federal District Court did not have jurisdiction to consider Ballard's temporary restraining order (TRO) and that the Surface Transportation Board was the proper forum for adjudicating Ballard's claims. On August 1, 2013, the Surface Transportation Board denied the request by Ballard Terminal Railroad Company to block rail removal along the Cross Kirkland Corridor.{{cn|date=November 2022}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
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Further reading
- {{cite web|publisher=Crosscut.com|date=November 13, 2012|title=Eastside rail: The Humpty Dumpty of Northwest transportation|quote=The Eastside's only rail line is in the midst of a five-way tug-of-war: Kirkland, Redmond, the Port of Seattle, Sound Transit, King County. Can so many owners ever amount to a whole, functioning transit line?|author=C.B. Hall|url=http://crosscut.com/2012/11/13/transportation/111465/eastside-rail-humpty-dumpty-northwest-transportati/|accessdate=2012-12-14}}
- {{cite thesis|last=Cooledge|first=Mia|title=Sustainable Urban Rail Trails: Designing the Cross Kirkland Corridor|year=2013|type=Scripps Senior Theses|id=Paper 139|publisher=Claremont Colleges|url=http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/139}}
- {{Citation |url= http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023794538_westneat08xml.html |accessdate= June 8, 2014 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |last=Westneat |first=Danny |date= June 7, 2014 |title= Was public railroaded in trail deal? Government officials said they bought the Eastside rail corridor for use as a trail, but it turns out that wasn't quite true. Now the courts are making them pay substantially more for it — at taxpayer expense }}
External links
- [https://eastrail.org/ Official site]
- [http://eastsidegreenway.org Eastside Greenway Alliance], coalition of non-profits advocating for the Eastside Rail Corridor Trail
- [http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/issues/erc.aspx Eastside Rail Corridor] at King County government website
- [http://eastsidetrailadvocates.org/ Eastside Trail Advocates]
- [http://eastsiderailnow.org/ Eastside Rail Now]
{{Rail trails in Washington}}
Category:Rail trails in Washington (state)