City
Seattle Times: Bellevue Council Nears Rail Compromise
The Seattle Times' Keith Ervin reports
that the Bellevue City Council---long divided over what route light rail should take through South Bellevue---may be nearing a compromise that could allow Sound Transit's preferred rail route to move forward.
Four of the council's seven members support a line known as B7, which would bypass the South Bellevue Park and Ride, run across the Mercer Slough wetland, and follow an abandoned rail right-of-way adjacent to I-405. That route would serve fewer jobs and residents, and cost about $138 million more, than Sound Transit's more direct "B2" alignment.
Sound Transit just released its final environmental impact statement on its preferred rail alignment this afternoon; we'll have a more detailed report on its findings later today.
Four of the council's seven members support a line known as B7, which would bypass the South Bellevue Park and Ride, run across the Mercer Slough wetland, and follow an abandoned rail right-of-way adjacent to I-405. That route would serve fewer jobs and residents, and cost about $138 million more, than Sound Transit's more direct "B2" alignment.
If Sound Transit agrees to do an "exceptional" job of minimizing noise, visual and traffic impacts along its preferred route, several Bellevue City Council members suggested they could drop their advocacy for a competing route that would cross Mercer Slough. ...
[Bellevue] Mayor Don Davidson said it would be difficult to sell the city's preferred route to Sound Transit. "I don't think that Sound Transit's going to take the risk of having to cross the slough," Davidson said. "I may be a slow learner, but things are sizing up."
Robertson publicly revealed the two-week-old discussions with Sound Transit at a City Council meeting Tuesday. The talks were supported by members of both council factions.
In addition to the South Bellevue route, Bellevue and Sound Transit are continuing to discuss how to pay for a short tunnel through downtown Bellevue, said transit spokesman Geoff Patrick. Last year, the city offered to contribute $150 million in funds, utility work and right of way to offset part of the added expense.
Patrick said a noise strategy will likely be discussed in public by the transit board. The 18-member board consists of 17 elected officials from cities and three counties, including Bellevue Councilmember Claudia Balducci and state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond.
Sound Transit just released its final environmental impact statement on its preferred rail alignment this afternoon; we'll have a more detailed report on its findings later today.
