The Port of Seattle has finalized acquisition of the Eastside Rail Corridor from Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway, after nearly two years of negotiations, according to a port press release.

Final cost for the northern section of the 42-mile corridor between Woodinville and Snohomish was approximately $81 million. BNSF donated the southern portion of the corridor between Woodinville and Renton and the Redmond Spur that goes through the City of Redmond.

The port will be joined by several local agencies in maximizing the corridor’s benefit for the entire region. King County, Sound Transit, the City of Redmond, Puget Sound Energy, and the Cascade Water Alliance will partner with the port, with each agency acquiring an interest in the rail line corridor.

Negotiations determining each partner’s investment in the property will begin in the coming months.

Freight service will be maintained between Snohomish and Woodinville through an agreement between the Port of Seattle and a third-party operator. King County and Sound Transit will acquire rights in the southern section between Woodinville and Renton, and in the Redmond Spur.