On Jan 28th, 29th, and Feb 2nd, members of the community will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on Sound Transit’s Light Rail, which will run through Downtown Bellevue and other areas of the Eastside.
Sound Transit is holding a 75-day comment period on the detailed study of the potential routes in Bellevue, which started back in December. This will be the most influential opportunity for those in the community to have an effect on the outcome of the project.
Feedback is wanted on preferred routes, but a topic of conversation will also be if the light rail going through Bellevue will be ground level (such as the MAX in Portland), elevated, or underground.
Do you want Wi-Fi onboard, bike lockers at every stop… are there particular landmarks, buildings, or businesses that you don’t want to be affected by these routes, or maybe you just want cheapest solution possible? These are the types of comments Sound Transit and the City of Bellevue want to hear feedback on.
Interesting facts about light rail
- Hours of operation: 5am – 1am
- Stops to each station: Every 9 – 10 minutes
- Capacity for almost 50,000 passengers a day – going through Bellevue
- Trains to be air conditioned
- Each car holds up to 200 people (most trains are 4 cars)
- Trains always have the right of way, making pick up times very reliable
If you can’t make it to any of the meetings, (see below) you may read the document online and send comments in via email at eastlink.deis@soundtransit.org.
Public Meetings in Bellevue
· Sound Transit, Wednesday, Jan. 28: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Bellevue High School – 10416 Wolverine Way
· Sound Transit, Thursday, Jan. 29: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Bellevue City Hall – 450 110th Ave. NE
· Bellevue City Council, Monday, Feb. 2: after 8 p.m. – Council Chambers – Bellevue City Hall
Image Credit: Sound Transit
Maybe Obama can kick in some extra dough for the tunnel option.
I REALLY would like to see that second station be near Old Bellevue. Main street east of Bellevue Way is ripe to redevelop, and there good density around this node by the time it arrives.
If any option is built I sure hope they don’t even bother with a second station south of DT by the highway, what good would it serve. It would just slow the train down.
I sure hope they won’t choose the surface option. The Seattle streetcar made the traffic a lot worse in that area. Also it didn’t run during adverse weather days and its tracks are a hazard for cyclists.
I know surface road is the cheapest option, but it will just make the traffic a lot worse.
Hopefully they will go with an elevated or a tunnel option.
I hope people come out and communicate what their preferences are! Regardless if you have supported it or not in the past, it’s a reality now and we have the chance to weigh-in on the topic.
I’d prefer to complain about it without my input prior to constuction. It’s the American way!!
I’d prefer to complain about it without my input prior to constuction. It’s the American way!!
Maybe the mayor can write a letter to treasury secretary Paulson and ask for some of that bailout money to fund the project
What? No Bellevue Square station?
What is the deal with the tree hugging, granola eaters obsession with the multi-billion dollar boondoggle known as light rail? Can’t you ride a bus and save us all billions of tax dollars? Is driving a car like most of humanity too much for you to handle? Global warming is a fraud, get over yourselves.
^ Can you please take the bus too (and tell all your friends) so we can save billions of tax dollars in ridiculous highway expansions? FYI your I-405 expansion is costing us over $14 BILLION. Buses are packed and get stuck in traffic too. Trains carry the capacity of a freeway, are faster, reliable, and avoid traffic. Also, please stop using the word boondoggle. That is a really stupid word.
Thanks for the data, it’s surreal to think of Light Rail coming to the area. It’s actually pretty exciting to think about, but still so far off.
I’m really looking forward to taking a transportation system that has no traffic!
Speak up for your City! Only The Vision Line will keep light rail and roads separate through Bellevue. It will provide fast, reliable train service and at the same time protect our road network. It will enable light rail from Bellevue to the airport, Kirkland, Issaquah and Renton in ST3. It is the only alignment that doesn’t condemn parks or single family homes.
Your support is critical. Write both Sound Transit and the Bellevue City Councilmembers an e-mail endorsing the tunnel through Downtown (C2T) and using the BNSF corridor (B7) instead of Bellevue Way.
For more information check out http://www.thevisionline.org.