Bike Path Better Than No Path

We've always been in favor of the trail for airport deal between the Port and the County, but the concept of making the corridor into a bike path used to scare the shit out of us. We thought it should be used as a rail corridor, if not for full-scale rail as it's currently (barely) used by BNSF, than as a light rail people mover that could help get folks around the burbs without increasing pressure on roads over there. Once a bike path, always a bike path, though. There's no going back. However, now that the entire deal is being called into question we're finding ourselves more and more open to the bike trail thing. It would be easier, after all, to wrest the right-of-way back from the powerful bicycle lobby than it would be to reacquire all the land from private owners, which is what will end up happening to the corridor if Sims' deal doesn't happen.

From the P-I:

The Port of Seattle commissioners were concerned the deal might be too costly.

But as the negotiations drag on, trail advocates fear parts of the right of way might be bought out from under them as BNSF moves to liquidate the property.

"It is important for all stakeholders to work to save the corridor," Sims said. "We cannot let slip away this once in a lifetime opportunity to keep this corridor in one piece in public hands."

He said the plan has always been to eventually add rail transit to the bike trail.

"If the money were available, we'd build modern commuter or high capacity transit rail immediately," Sims said.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Gluechunk.