TriMet, however, had plans to pursue the South/North Line before it would even consider extending rail service to the airport. In 1995, voters in Washington's Clark County thwarted TriMet's plans when they declined to fund their local-area share of the South/North Line project. The following year, engineering firm Bechtel, seeking to acquire property near the airport, initiated discussions with the Port regarding the feasibility of an airport light rail line and assigned a former federal transit official employee to help develop a plan. The Port expressed its support of this unsolicited proposal in January 1997. For several more years, TriMet continued its efforts to revive the South/North Line until a failed ballot measure officially canceled it in 1998, forcing the agency to consider developing the airport light rail project instead.