Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/18/2007 Adjourned Meeting / Study Session .385 ADJOURNED MEETING /STUDY SESSION MAY 18, 2007 10:00 A.M. — 12:00 NOON COUNCIL CHAMBERS — YAKIMA CITY HALL 1. Roll Call Present: Council: Mayor Pro Tem Neil McClure, presiding, Council Members Micah Cawley, Norm Johnson, and Bill Lover • Staff: City Manager Zais and City Clerk Moore Absent: Council Members Ron Bonlender, Dave Edler, and Susan Whitman (excused) 2. Presentation by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad representative City Manager Zais opened the meeting by introducing John Karl, Regional Manager for Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad. Mr. Karl gave a presentation on the history of the railroad in Washington State and an overview of the railroad in general. Today BNSF operates in 28 states and Canada, with 32,000 route miles and 42,000 employees. He spoke about what moves through Yakima on a routine basis. The Staggers Act, passed in October 1980, allowed them to price their product for what the market would bear, which resulted in their price going down and tremendously increased productivity. Right -of -way is 75% of their capital expenditures. He said it is likely that over $1 billion has been invested in the state of Washington since 1999. He went on to describe the railroad in Washington noting there are 150 train movements a day throughout the state of Washington. They are expecting a three -fold increase in trains into Centralia impacting eastbound volume of grain empties. They also expect to see at least seven additional coal trains per week going through Yakima. In the future, they will have the ability of three routes to the eastern markets. In three to five years, they could double the amount of trains going through Yakima. With that amount, it will be critical to have grade separations. The long trains, going at restricted speeds, will take a long time to clear the crossings causing a safety issue. The increases are happening because of the global economy. The Washington Transportation Plan Freight Report shows freight volumes have increased twice as fast as Washington's overall population and traffic growth. Freight tonnage over Washington's rail system is expected to increase from 2005 -2025 by over 60 %. Mr. Karl then spoke about the Stampede Pass Corridor that has a project cost of over $100 million. This does not include grade separation. He addressed how they would meet the growth challenge by communication, rail capacity review prior to movement, understanding risks, stretching the planning horizon, and by working together. He reiterated that with the increased traffic coming through Yakima, from 6 -8 up to 12 -14 trains per day, we are going to need a grade separation. 386 ADJOURNED MEETING — MAY 18, 2007 Mayor Pro Tem McClure opened the meeting to Council questions. Council Member Johnson suggested, at some future time, BNSF people meet with some of the affected parties as well as address some of the City's concerns, e.g. tracks that go nowhere and tracks in disrepair. Council Member Lover expressed the need for further information that is specific to Yakima. Mr. Karl explained that topography and geography are the primary criteria for routing trains. The growth nationwide is substantial. With the current price of fuel, rail is at least three times more efficient than trucking. 3. Audience comments Mel Tanasse asked how to get in touch with someone for the much needed track repair at the crossings. Mr. Karl said he would help find a contact. The meeting was re- opened for Council input. Council Member Lover said he is trying to understand the benefits to the community for the $35 -$40 million investment in the grade separation. He questioned whether the problem needs the "gold- plated solution" proposed with the grade separation project. He said no final design has been approved yet and he would like to see it scaled down if at all possible. Mayor Pro Tem McClure agreed that six railroad grade separations would be ultimate, two is more than we can afford, but it is not that simple to reduce it. The entire planning process would have to start over again which would, basically, throw away the five to six years of intense effort that has already taken place. Every year we delay pushes the cost up. Council Member Lover responded that we only have a million dollars into the project and he feels it's a good time to stop and take another look. Council Member Johnson suggested this discussion would be more appropriate at another time. 4. Adjournment CAWLEY MOVED AND JOHNSON SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO MAY 22, 2007 AT 8:00 A.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR A STUDY SESSION ON THE SAFE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote; Bonlender, Edler and Whitman absent. The meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY Gr1A COUNCIL ME ° ,i DATE COUNCIL MEMB • DATE ATTEST: CITY CLERK DAVID EDLER, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. A CD and DVD of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 2