Allentown Truck Reroute Project

Project Status

The City of Tukwila is developing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate alternatives to reroute existing BNSF truck traffic in Allentown. An EIS is a process to evaluate potential effects that proposed alternatives may have on the built and natural environment.

November 2023
The City Council selected three truck route alternatives to be studied in the Draft EIS.

Current Status
The project team is collecting information about the current conditions in Allentown (including traffic, wetlands, historical and archaeological resources, etc.) and has begun studying how the proposed alternative truck routes might affect them.

EIS Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

How can community members be involved in this process?
Your involvement is crucial to this project. There are several ways to keep track of and comment on the Truck Reroute EIS process:

• Attend our Allentown community meetings.
• Review project progress here on the project website.
• Review and comment on the upcoming Draft EIS (fall of 2024) which will include the proposed truck reroute alternatives and an analysis of potential effects from each of them.
• Join our email list to stay informed! We appreciate your continued participation.

Does the City of Tukwila have a preferred alternative for rerouting truck traffic?
The City will select a preferred alternative at the end of the EIS process after considering the results of the Final EIS.

Will we hear updates while the Draft EIS is being produced?
Yes, periodic updates will be issued via the project update email. You can join the project email list here.

Will the project include only alternatives from past truck reroute planning efforts, or will new alternatives also be considered?
The project team has considered eight truck reroute alternatives altogether: Four alternatives from past planning efforts, three new alternatives, and the existing route (the no-build alternative). The City has selected four of these alternatives to be included in the EIS, including one that was studied previously, two new alternatives, and the existing truck route.  These alternatives will be studied in the EIS to determine their potential impacts on built and natural environments in and around Allentown.

Are other agencies, like King County, Sound Transit, etc., notified about the scoping process?
Legal notices, for both the first and second phases of scoping, have been published in the Seattle Times and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Register. It has also been distributed to select agencies and businesses who might have an interest in the project.

How is the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being funded?
City funds will cover the cost of the EIS.

Project History

• BNSF’s South Seattle Intermodal Facility is located on the east side of the Allentown neighborhood. For many years, trucks traveling to and from the BNSF facility have accessed it mainly via a route that uses 42nd Ave. S (over the 42nd Ave. S Bridge) and S 124th Street.
• In 2015, the City undertook a study to find a new truck route that would reduce the impacts of trucks in Allentown. The BNSF Railway Intermodal Facility Access Study was completed in late 2016.
• The study proposed four alternative truck routes that would not travel through Allentown, and one alternative that considered the impacts of leaving the current truck route in place.
• As part of the study, the City held open houses where the public gave input about the needs of the Allentown community and commented on the proposed truck route alternatives.
• Using the 2016 study as a starting point, the City will now prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) which will take a more in-depth look at the truck route options identified in the 2016 study, and update the study’s findings to include today’s conditions, improved project understanding, and additional community input.
• Moving forward with work on the EIS, the City is committed to clear and open communication with the public – of its findings, its intentions, and it actions.

Document Library and Helpful Links

Questions? Interested in learning more? Please contact Mark Hafs at (206) 902-6690 or Mark.Hafs@TukwilaWA.gov.