Tacoma Amtrak Citizens Advisory Committee to review preliminary new Amtrak station plans Read more

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/08/31/3356235/tacoma-amtrak-citizens-advisory.html?sp=/99/261/

Tacoma Amtrak Citizens Advisory Committee to review preliminary new Amtrak station plans
By John Gillie
Staff writer
August 31, 2014

The Washington State Department of Transportation will roll out its preliminary plans for a new Tacoma Amtrak station at a meeting scheduled Tuesday at the University of Washington Tacoma.

~snip~

The preliminary design reveal is the first since December when WSDOT unveiled preliminary plans for the new station in the west end of Freighthouse Square near the Tacoma Dome.

Those designs drew a chorus of criticism from the committee and the public for their utilitarian feel and for their location. Since then, the department and the citizens committee have agreed to move the station to the middle of the historic building and to respect the history and materials of the old railroad warehouse in the new design.

A new station is necessary because Amtrak is rerouting its trains from the present waterfront route along Ruston Way and the Tacoma Narrows to a shorter route through South Tacoma and Lakewood. The existing station is on the waterfront route. The so-called “Point Defiance bypass” route is being financed by an $89 million federal grant.

[LuckyLib]

1. If Amtrak could actually have predictable departure

And arrival times, Americans might use it. As is, ridiculous delays make it a poor choice for vacation travel.