Gateway Pacific Terminal likewise would add little to our tax base. They claim a potential contribution of $11 million in state and local taxes. Rail impacts alone dwarf that. A recent study by the Puget Sound Regional Council concluded that one-third of crossings studied would benefit from grade changes (construction of over- or under-passes) to address the 18 additional trains, at a cost of $50 million to $200 million per intersection. Federal law limits the railroads contribution to 5 percent. The Federal Railroad Administration lists 82 at-grade crossings in Whatcom County. If only 10 percent required grade changes, at the lowest cost estimate of $50 million per intersection, it would take 37 years for all tax revenues generated from Gateway Pacific Terminal to cover the costs of some of its local traffic impacts. Read more here: bellinghamherald/2014/08/06/3786001/whatcom-county-must-weight-costs.html?sp=/99/122/#storylink=cpy
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 19:36:24 +0000
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