Communitywise Bellingham Executive Director Shannon Wright says their group has maintained an increase in rail capacity is needed in order to handle rail traffic for the Gateway Pacific Terminal planned for Cherry Point, but they expect that to be required between Bow and Ferndale.
She says Phase 1 of the Gateway Pacific Terminal would add 10 more train trips through Whatcom County each day.
She says the environmental impact statement for the project needs to consider the impacts of increased rail traffic caused by the coal shipping terminal.
Wright spoke to KGMI from the Gateway Pacific Terminal EIS scoping meeting held in Ferndale yesterday.
Gus Melonas with the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe Railway says the improvements are designed to reduce a history of delays between passenger trains in Mount Vernon.
