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Dirty looks for plan to move third runway dirt – proposal to use conveyer belts met with skepticism

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A Lynnwood contractor proposed using conveyor belts instead of trucks to haul the 23 million cubic yards of fill dirt needed for Sea-Tac Airport's third runway construction in the late 1990s. The plan would have barged dirt to Des Moines, then carried it 2.5 miles to the airport via belt, cutting the estimated haul time from five years to two and a half. Des Moines residents, already angry about the runway routing air traffic over their downtown, reacted skeptically and accused the contractor of trying to bribe the city with promises of new parks in exchange for cooperation.

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Seattle Times article by Marc Stiles (February 18, 1998) about Hank Hopkins of Westcot (Lynnwood contractor) proposing a conveyor belt system to transport fill dirt for the Sea-Tac Airport third runway expansion. The plan would barge dirt to Des Moines Marina, unload onto a temporary dock, and convey it 2.5 miles along Des Moines Creek to the airport — requiring Des Moines city permission. Total fill needed: 17 million cubic yards for the runway plus 6 million for other portions of the $1.7 billion Sea-Tac expansion. Trucking alternative would require 1.2 million double-dump trucks making 66 one-way trips per hour for five years. Des Moines resident Dick Falk opposed the plan; focus groups by PR firm Gogerty Stark Marriott found citizens initially called it ‘outrageous.’ Airport spokeswoman Rachel Garson quoted on dirt transport timeline through 2002.

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