Ports offer extended gate hours to lighten truck traffic in outlying areas

Published 8:15 pm Monday, August 29, 2016

In response to drivers’ requests for extended access to the Port of Seattle, both the Seattle and Tacoma ports will be extending the hours of operating the entry gate at container terminals during the upcoming peak season.

The extended hours, requring an additional $2 million in support from the ports, could help relieve truck traffic in and around North Bend.

The change is a result of a June 14 forum, hosted by the Washington State Department of Transportation in North Bend, to discuss regional truck parking needs.

North Bend has been struggling with truck traffic for several years, and passed a ban on truck parking on city streets in 2013.

In the past year, the city council also enacted code to prohibit future development of truck stops, as well as any significant expansion of the current facility, located on the eastern edge of the city at Exit 34.

At the meeting, truck drivers with cargo to be offloaded at the Port of Seattle expressed a desire to be able to drive directly to the port to unload, rather than waiting in outlying areas such as North Bend when container terminal gates were closed.

The extended hours program will run for 12 weeks. It began Aug. 22.

“This is excellent news for North Bend and a step in the right direction towards helping to alleviate truck parking issues for the region,” said North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing. “I want to thank representative from WSDOT and the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma for their continued efforts regarding this issue.”