PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.       4f 
ACTION ITEM 
Date of Meeting      June 9, 2015 
DATE:    May 18, 2015 
TO:      Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:   Geri Poor, Regional Transportation Manager, Public Affairs 
SUBJECT:  Great Northern Corridor Coalition Phase II Memorandum of Understanding 
Amount of This Request:    $10,000         Source of Funds:  Operating Budget 

ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for Chief Executive Officer to (1) execute the Great Northern
Corridor Coalition Phase II Memorandum of Understanding between the Montana Department of
Transportation and the Port of Seattle and (2) provide $10,000 for a portion of the local match of
a $419,200 federal grant awarded to the Port of Northern Montana to complete the Great
Northern Corridor Multistate Planning and Development Study Phase II, for a total budget of
$546,000. 
SYNOPSIS 
In 2013, the Port of Seattle joined the Great Northern Corridor Coalition  (GNCC). The
coalition's primary purpose is to promote regional cooperation, planning, and shared
implementation for programs and projects  to improve multimodal transportation system
management and operations along the rail corridor between the state of Washington and the
Midwest. The Great Northern rail corridor is BNSF Railway Company's corridor through
Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. 
The GNCC is conducting a two-phased Multi-State Planning and Development Study to develop
solutions that would enhance the Corridor and achieve the coalition's vision. Phase I was a
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the Corridor to identify
projects to improve freight mobility in the Corridor.  Phase II will be a planning level analysis
leading to a prioritized corridor improvement program based on the results of Phase I. 
These studies are funded by two Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Multimodal Corridor
Operations and Management (MCOM) grants and contributions from coalition partners. The
Port of Seattle participated in Phase I with funding of $5,000 along with other partners, to match
a $299,910 federal grant. For Phase II, the coalition has secured a follow-on grant of $419,200

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
May 18, 2015 
Page 2 of 3 
and the Port of Seattle has proposed a $10,000 match, again with other partners.  This
Commission action would authorize staff to fulfill that partnership. 
BACKGROUND 
The Port entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Montana Department of
Transportation for the Great Northern Corridor Multistate Planning and Development Study
(Phase 1) on February 26, 2013.  The study was awarded one of the Multistate Corridor
Operations and Management (MCOM) Program  grants by the U.S. Department of
Transportation. The Montana Department of Transportation is the lead agency for the study. 
In addition, the Corridor coalition applied for a follow-on Phase II grant from the same program
and requested letters of support and additional funding from coalition stakeholders for the local
match.  Phase II of the Corridor Study is a planning-level analysis based on the results of the
work completed in the Phase I SWOT analysis. A prioritized list of projects or initiatives will be
developed that will enhance the corridor's strengths, further develop multimodal opportunities,
and promote seamless transportation through multiple states along the corridor. 
The coalition held its Phase I completion and Phase II kick-off meeting January 27-28, 2015, in
Seattle. The Phase II Planning Analysis is expected to take 12 months and will commence as
soon as matching funds are collected. 
The Port of Seattle indicated support for potential additional funding in 2014. Funding for the
Phase II contribution of $10,000 to the study was included in the 2014 budget. However, since
the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) will send us the Phase II invoice in 2015,
this becomes an unbudgeted expense in 2015.   Funding is available in the Regional
Transportation expense budget. 
Additional coalition members providing funding for the planning and development study include
the ports of Everett, Grays Harbor, Pasco, Quincy, Tacoma, and Vancouver; Northern Montana; 
the Washington Public Ports Association; the BNSF; and the departments of transportation of
Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, and Washington for a total of $127,000 local match. There are
additional non-funding members in the coalition. 
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION AND DETAILS 
In order for the Pacific Northwest ports to stay competitive with U.S. ports in California and the
East, South, and Gulf coasts, as well as Canadian ports, we must continue to work with our
partners to implement improvement projects. The Great Northern Corridor Multistate Planning
and Development Study Phase II provides an opportunity to collaborate with other stakeholders
along the corridor who rely on an efficient transportation network to help preserve and grow our 
economies.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
May 18, 2015 
Page 3 of 3 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
Budget Status and Source of Funds 
Staff is requesting Commission authorization for execution of the subject Phase II MOU and for
the 2015 expenditure of $10,000 for Phase II, as it was included in the 2014 budget but is being
invoiced and spent in 2015. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
Great Northern Corridor Coalition Phase II Memorandum of Understanding between the
Montana Department of Transportation and the Port of Seattle 
Port of Seattle letters supporting Phases I and II of the Great Northern Corridor Multistate
Planning and Development Study Grant 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
On September 24, 2013, the Commission ratified the Great Northern Corridor Coalition
Memorandum of Understanding between the Montana Department of Transportation and
the Port of Seattle and authorized the CEO to provide $5,000 for a portion of the local
match of a $299,910 federal grant awarded to the Port of Northern Montana to complete
the Great Northern Corridor Multistate Planning and Development Study.