Notes
Seattle Times article by Stephen Clutter (May 15, 1996) about Hank Hopkins of Lynnwood and his Wescot Co. proposal to barge fill dirt to Des Moines Beach Park and transport it via a 7-foot-wide electric conveyor belt nearly three miles uphill to the Sea-Tac Airport third runway construction site, rather than using dump trucks. The conveyor would carry approximately 14 million cubic yards of fill — roughly eight Kingdomes — needed to fill the ravine west of the second runway, with dirt sourced from an old gravel mine at King County Marine Park on Maury Island. Port of Seattle aviation planning director Michael Feldman called it ‘a creative solution that certainly has merit.’ Des Moines City Manager Bob Olander and activist Al Furney are quoted; the city of Des Moines opposed granting permits. Partners include Vern Scott of Miles Sand & Gravel and Ernie Ferullo of Northwest Construction.