SMOKEY POINT The Arlington City Council approved a site at the intersection of 172nd Street and 43rd Avenue, in Smokey Point, for a new fire station that Arlington Fire Chief Jim Rankin believes will benefit both Arlington and Marysville.
It will improve response times between district stations while maintaining good coverage in Smokey Point and areas of Marysville, Rankin said of the site, which could serve as the new location of Marysville Fire District Station 63, at 14716 Smokey Point Blvd., whose current location stands in the way of widening Smokey Point Boulevard.
Rankin explained that such a facility would be designed for remodels and enlargements, as the surrounding community expands. He elaborated that architects still need to be hired to conduct soil tests and determine the other pertinent specifications for the site. However, the planned fire station could cover as much as 12,000-square-feet.
We want to be able to accommodate both cities, even as they grow, said Rankin, who hopes the new fire station will house a ladder truck, a medic unit and an aid car, as well as space for police officers to file reports and conduct interviews. Since any design would have to go through the City Council before being approved, Rankin will be soliciting community input on what features should be incorporated.
Rankin assured local residents that the city of Arlington is coordinating its plans closely with contractors working in the Smokey Point area, to ensure traffic signals and points of entry and exit for both businesses and the fire station. Although he deemed the timeline for design and construction of the facility flexible, he predicted it could be completed as early as 2009.