Category All Art Classes Classical Music Concerts DANCE Etc Exhibits Families Farmers Markets Film Happenings Holiday Holiday Lectures Music (non-classical) Theater

Submit events

PHOTO BY JOHN LARSON

EMPTY RAILS. The Prairie Line runs through the middle of the University of Washington-Tacoma campus.

City makes proposal to BNSF on Prairie Line

By John Larson

Land along a railroad track running through the heart of downtown could become part of a system of trails for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Prairie Line railroad right-of-way is owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). Trains no longer run on the tracks. City staff feels it offers an opportunity for a non-motorized trail that would link Thea Foss Waterway to the University of Washington-Tacoma campus and tie into the Water Ditch Trail planned to run roughly parallel to South Tacoma Way.

Staff have offered a proposal by which BNSF will convey to the city, at no charge, a strip 20 feet wide along the railroad tracks between South 15th and South 27th streets, as well as an additional strip between South 23rd and South 25th streets connecting the trail property to the storage lot owned by the city’s Public Works Department

The city would close the crossing of BNSF’s right-of-way where ‘A’ Street meets Dock Street along Thea Foss Waterway. This could not occur until 90 days after all work is completed on the ‘D’ Street Overpass project, which is scheduled for later this year.

The railroad would authorize expansion of an existing bridge structure at South 15th Street and an air space easement for a pedestrian overpass to be constructed at some future date between ‘A’ and ‘D’ streets.

Both parties would agree to discuss potential future exchanges of railroad properties that the city could use for landscaping in the vicinity of South 17th Street, Hood Avenue and Pacific Avenue near Tacoma Art Museum.

BNSF would participate in talks with the city and Washington State Department of Transportation on possible donations of easement rights for constructing slip ramps for State Route 509 near ‘D’ Street.

This proposal is tied in with the sale of BNSF property in South Tacoma to Pro Logis, a Denver company that wants to covert the old railroad shops site into a warehouse and distribution center.

Members of Tacoma City Council’s Economic Development Committee heard a briefing on the Prairie Line proposal May 13.

The following day Ryan Petty discussed the matter at a New Tacoma Neighborhood Council meeting.

Local architect Jim Merritt argued that more public input is needed in the process. He said the strip along the tracks to be turned over to the city should be 80 feet wide, rather than 20.

James Ball, senior manager of land revenue management for BNSF, said closing ‘A’ Street makes sense because visibility is poor for motorists.

“Any crossing in a curve is difficult,” he said. “From a safety perspective, a crossing at a curve is a dangerous situation.”

The council will take action on the proposal at a future date.

Story Tools