The major marine terminals of the Port of Seattle are on the north end of the corridor, and the SeaTac Airport lies just beyond the southern end. Two interstate highways and excellent rail lines service the area. The Duwamish River also continues to serve as a major maritime resource, used to transport 21.7 million tons of cargo in 1989. Eighty years of intense industrial use have left its residue throughout the Duwamish corridor, with contamination resulting from discharges, spills, dust, and dredging. Contamination is especially hazardous in the corridor because the pollutants move via groundwater and surface water runoff, reaching the river and Elliott Bay, and entering the food chain through fish and other wildlife.
Contamination is also of great concern to people who live in nearby residential communities.
The Duwamish River runs through the heart of this corridor. It is an important spawning ground, where 26,599 salmon were harvested in 1990. In spite of its industrial surroundings, and a history of man-made alterations, the river remains a significant, resilient, natural asset which requires protection, as do the people and businesses that inhabit this vital industrial district.