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Effect of the Plan <br />The purpose of this Plan: <br />• Document potential improvement strategies. <br />• Identify actions to minimize impacts to traveling public. <br />• Identify recommended actions for measureable improvements in interruptions due to <br />landslides. <br />This Plan is not intended to: <br />• Guarantee landslides will not occur in the corridor. <br />• Prevent other government agencies or group members from advocating a particular <br />improvement. <br />• Provide funding for proposed action strategies. <br />Work Group Coordination <br />Rail transportation is dependent on partnerships among government agencies, private industry <br />and other stakeholders. The Work Group was a cooperative effort with WSDOT, BNSF, Sound <br />Transit, Amtrak and local jurisdictions/stakeholders within the study corridor, such as the <br />Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Ecology, National <br />Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, and Governor's Office of Regulatory Innovation and <br />Assistance. Local jurisdictions include the cities of Everett, Mukilteo, Shoreline, Edmonds, and <br />Seattle; the town of Woodway; and Snohomish County. The group implemented a reasonable <br />strategy to identify contributing factors to landslides within the corridor, develop conclusions <br />based on research, and create an implementation plan with recommendations for measurable <br />improvements to the traveling public. <br />Roles and Responsibilities <br />• The WSDOT Rail Division sponsors the Amtrak Cascades and its intercity passenger rail <br />service along the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor, contracting with Amtrak as the service <br />provider. Sound Transit and Amtrak contract with BNSF for track use. <br />In WSDOT's Amtrak operating agreement, Amtrak is responsible for operating the <br />Amtrak Cascades service. <br />• BNSF and Amtrak notify WSDOT of operational changes. <br />• BNSF owns and maintains the rail rights of way and track structures. BNSF is <br />responsible for maintaining the railway infrastructure in compliance with Federal <br />Railroad Administration safety standards. As the owner of the track, BNSF is responsible <br />for addressing landslides within the BNSF right of way (ROW) only. However, landslide <br />stabilization projects must often be constructed, at least in part, on property outside of <br />BNSF-owned ROW to be effective, as a majority of landslide activity in this corridor <br />originates from above and off BNSF property. <br />2 <br />