USGA Decides Against Using Sounder Rail Service For '15 U.S. Open At Chambers Bay

The Sounder commuter rail service "will not be used to transport spectators" to the '15 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay near Seattle next summer, according to Brynn Grimley of the Tacoma NEWS-TRIBUNE. The USGA yesterday "announced its decision not to use the trains" after spending "nearly two years exploring how they might bring people from Seattle’s King Street Station to the University Place waterfront." It "appeared this summer that an agreement between the USGA, Sound Transit and BNSF Railway was close to being completed." U.S. Open Championship Dir Danny Sink said that the final decision "rested with USGA officials." Sink: "There were too many variables to the plan that we couldn't control." He added that the parking and transportation plan will "meet the needs of the 235,000 people expected to visit the course." Sink: "The train was always going to be ... a supplemental transportation option." Grimley notes the USGA believes its plan can "easily handle the 30,000 spectators expected" each day (Tacoma NEWS-TRIBUNE, 11/19). In Seattle, Geoff Baker notes concerns about "service quality, cost, weather and disrupting the normal commuter service between Seattle and Lakewood helped kill the plan." Sink said, "We couldn't ensure a great spectator experience based on the limited amount of people we could get on the trains." Sound Transit BOD member Pete Von Reichbauer said that the USGA "seemed most concerned about 'predictability of service' and cost." He added that questions had "arisen about liability concerns in the event of an accident." Sink said that the USGA will "continue with its existing plan to have 11,000 parking spaces available at its main locations." Baker notes fans will then be "shuttled up to 17 miles by bus" to the course. Organizers had initially hoped the trains "could carry at least 6,000 people per day" (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/19).