he Port of Seattle hosted a number of transportation partners to celebrate the completion of the East Marginal Way Grade Separation (EMWGS) Phase II.. The project includes surface street improvements at the south end of the EMWGS overpass structure and eliminates the last remaining conflict between rail traffic and northbound traffic accessing the structure.
“This will help to create solid middle class jobs across Washington state. Over one-third of Washington’s gross domestic product is tied to the docks in Seattle and Tacoma. This project helps to move products efficiently, reduce traffic congestion and increase economic development.” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Bill Bryant. “It enhances our competitive edge and that means jobs.”
“The East Marginal Way Grade Separation is a great example of local collaboration on freight mobility,” said Seattle Department of Transportation Director Scott Kubly. “By working with the Port of Seattle, Union Pacific Railroad, Prologis, and Washington State DOT, we are able to move cargo more efficiently through the industrial heart of our city.”
Additionally, improvements beneath the new, adjacent SR-99 structure enable southbound freight traffic from the EMWGS structure to cross East Marginal Way South and access the new Argo Yard Truck Roadway. The Argo Yard Truck Roadway reduces round-trip dray times for harbor truckers while improving safety for general-purpose traffic.
“Many entities and organizations contributed to today’s success, but we also need to recognize Karen Schmidt, the former executive director of the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, who kept all of the parties focused on the completion of this project,” said Dan Gatchet, chair of the State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board. “Without her tenacity over the past 10 years, we probably wouldn’t be here today.”
The East Marginal Way Grade Separation and Argo Yard Truck Roadway projects and their components are much more than the sum of their parts. As part of the regional FAST Corridor program that began in the 1990s, this project is one of dozens of grade separations, overpasses and other improvements that keep cargo moving to and from our ports. Collectively, FAST Corridor projects increase the speed, reliability and flexibility of cargo movement throughout the Puget Sound area.
About the Port of Seattle
Founded in 1911, The Port owns and operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, four container cargo terminals, two cruise ship terminals, one grain terminal, a public cargo terminal, four public marinas, and manages a number of real estate assets for financial return and economic advantage. The port’s operations currently help create nearly 200,000 jobs and $7 billion in wages throughout the region. Over the next 23 years, the port’s “Century Agenda” seeks to create an additional 100,000 jobs through economic growth while becoming the nation’s leading green and energy-efficient port. Learn more at www.portseattle.org.
