News
Bellevue Council Seeks Delay in Light Rail Planning
The city of Bellevue plans to ask Sound Transit to delay planning for the east extension of light rail until consultants can complete a three-part study of the council majority's preferred alternative.
"We would like them to hold off on their decision making until they have had a chance to consider that alternative as well," council member Kevin Wallace said during the council's meeting Monday night. The council has one week to finalize its letter to Sound Transit before the public comment period runs out.
The council's four-member majority prefers an alignment, known as B7-R, that would cross through the Mercer Slough wetland preserve and along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad right-of-way alongside I-405.
Sound Transit has already rejected that alignment because, according to the agency's analysis, it doesn't meet Sound Transit's environmental and cost standards, would serve the fewest homes and jobs, and would bypass the existing South Bellevue Park-and-Ride, requiring the construction of a new park-and-ride at a cost of between $170 million and $210 million.
In a letter to Sound Transit board chair Aaron Reardon, Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson (a member of the council) asked Sound Transit to delay choosing a final preferred alternative until at least June, when the city will get the results of the first phase of a $670,000 study by Arup North America Ltd. "Our objective is to minimize negative impacts, reduce costs, and ensure high ridership," the letter says. "As a consequence, we ask that the Board postpone issuance of the East Link Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to allow for the consideration of the forthcoming B7-R analysis."
The letter also says the council is "skeptical" about Sound Transit's analysis of the "potential negative impacts" of the project. "It would be unacceptable to subject Bellevue neighborhoods to additional noise, whether from passing trains, bells, or other light rail related sources."
Council members did agree unanimously on one thing: All seven support a tunnel through downtown Bellevue, which would add an additional $300 million to the cost of the project.
"We would like them to hold off on their decision making until they have had a chance to consider that alternative as well," council member Kevin Wallace said during the council's meeting Monday night. The council has one week to finalize its letter to Sound Transit before the public comment period runs out.
The council's four-member majority prefers an alignment, known as B7-R, that would cross through the Mercer Slough wetland preserve and along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad right-of-way alongside I-405.
Sound Transit has already rejected that alignment because, according to the agency's analysis, it doesn't meet Sound Transit's environmental and cost standards, would serve the fewest homes and jobs, and would bypass the existing South Bellevue Park-and-Ride, requiring the construction of a new park-and-ride at a cost of between $170 million and $210 million.
In a letter to Sound Transit board chair Aaron Reardon, Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson (a member of the council) asked Sound Transit to delay choosing a final preferred alternative until at least June, when the city will get the results of the first phase of a $670,000 study by Arup North America Ltd. "Our objective is to minimize negative impacts, reduce costs, and ensure high ridership," the letter says. "As a consequence, we ask that the Board postpone issuance of the East Link Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to allow for the consideration of the forthcoming B7-R analysis."
The letter also says the council is "skeptical" about Sound Transit's analysis of the "potential negative impacts" of the project. "It would be unacceptable to subject Bellevue neighborhoods to additional noise, whether from passing trains, bells, or other light rail related sources."
Council members did agree unanimously on one thing: All seven support a tunnel through downtown Bellevue, which would add an additional $300 million to the cost of the project.
