Bellevue Light Rail/East Link thread - Page 20

bgwah · December 1st, 2012, 03:44 AM

If they build one in Bellevue, will one still be built in Redmond eventually?

Doomgoggles · December 1st, 2012, 04:34 AM

It has to be somewhere on the East link line, and there are a few spots in Bellevue where it really wouldn't cause any trouble. Redmond won't need their own.

We can't build a maint base in the south end yet: not until a trunk line connects it to Seattle, bypassing the Rainier Valley. Eventually the south end might need their own, for an extension to downtown Federal Way.

bgwah · December 1st, 2012, 05:41 AM

I know there was supposed to be a maintenance facility at the end of the line near Whole Foods in Redmond. But since we're only getting to Overlake, I'm just wondering if that's why they're looking at Belred now.

alexjonlin · December 2nd, 2012, 12:03 AM

Yeah I think that might've been the plan when they were going to build farther south towards Federal Way as part of ST2, but since they need a second maintenance facility for ST2 and they had to cut the southernmost segment, they have to build a facility either in Bel-Red or south Snohomish County. Like I said earlier though, a Bel-Red maintenance facility has always been an option, going back to the DEIS in 2008.

DawgFan · April 24th, 2013, 06:34 AM

I know the city is doing all it can to save money in order to build the tunnel but this seems so shortsighted. I'm sure Kemper is ecstatic about the station being out in no man's land and nowhere near his empire
http://seattletransitblog.com/2013/0...savings-picks/

cameronrex · April 24th, 2013, 07:19 AM

I'm trying to picture where the downtown station is. The transit center is NE 6th between 110th and 112th so it sounds like the station will be under there?

DawgFan · April 24th, 2013, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameronrex

I'm trying to picture where the downtown station is. The transit center is NE 6th between 110th and 112th so it sounds like the station will be under there?

Transit center is between 108th and 110th. The light rail station will be a block east between 110th and 112th.

cameronrex · April 24th, 2013, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawgFan

Transit center is between 108th and 110th. The light rail station will be a block east between 110th and 112th.

Hmmm. That is quite a distance from much of downtown. Maybe 10 min walk from Bellevue Square.

BoulderGrad · April 24th, 2013, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameronrex

I'm trying to picture where the downtown station is. The transit center is NE 6th between 110th and 112th so it sounds like the station will be under there?

Picture worth 1000words:
http://goo.gl/maps/IY8n1

cameronrex · April 24th, 2013, 08:17 AM

Yup. Having just the one stop in that location really limits the lines effectiveness as a commuting option into Bellevue. Too bad. Have never understood Freeman Jr's opposition?

mhays · April 24th, 2013, 05:05 PM

It could be worse. A long block further downhill would have been a disaster.

bgwah · April 24th, 2013, 05:23 PM

I'm almost speechless at this point. The route is terrible and I don't think anyone likes it. Would this have happened in other metros, or are we exceptionally dysfunctional?

mhays · April 24th, 2013, 05:42 PM

I'd say we're in the middle somewhere. Even passing the Sound Transit II measure would be beyond many metros at $17 billion. And everyone is dysfunctional.

cameronrex · April 24th, 2013, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

I'd say we're in the middle somewhere. Even passing the Sound Transit II measure would be beyond many metros at $17 billion. And everyone is dysfunctional.

I agree. We must look on bright side. At least it is happening and other stops-new Spring District, and those in Redmond make much more sense.

It seems that the US is alone in having a general population that DOESN'T view convenient public transit as a plus to property values.

BoulderGrad · April 24th, 2013, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameronrex

I agree. We must look on bright side. At least it is happening and other stops-new Spring District, and those in Redmond make much more sense.

It seems that the US is alone in having a general population that DOESN'T view convenient public transit as a plus to property values.

That's the stupid thing. Being near a rail based transit stop nowadays does wonders for property values for a good number of housing and office types.

alexjonlin · April 24th, 2013, 09:43 PM

Which is another bright spot of this alignment: it's farther away from the current center of gravity in Downtown Bellevue, along Bellevue Way, but development will follow the station and I wouldn't be surprised if the station is in the middle of things in 20 years.

Matt the Engineer · April 24th, 2013, 10:09 PM

The problem with that theory is that it's a block from the freeway, and freeways form an almost solid wall when it comes to walkshed.

BoulderGrad · April 24th, 2013, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt the Engineer

The problem with that theory is that it's a block from the freeway, and freeways form an almost solid wall when it comes to walkshed.

Lid from NE 12th st to Main?

DawgFan · April 24th, 2013, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt the Engineer

The problem with that theory is that it's a block from the freeway, and freeways form an almost solid wall when it comes to walkshed.

Yeah, not much room to expand in that direction. The city is looking into rezoning the east side of 112th to allow high rises so that could spur a new row of towers but beyond that there's no space to grow.

I'm just as disappointed as everyone else regarding the station placement but to play devil's advocate, the city didn't really have much choice. A tunnel for downtown Bellevue was not part of the ballot initiative so the city and Sound Transit had to find alternative sources of funding and they are limited. In a perfect world, the route would go all the way up Bellevue Way and include multiple stops in downtown Bellevue but given the budget constraints, the tunnel had to go underneath the highest point of downtown to reduce the amount of digging required.

bgwah · April 25th, 2013, 12:33 AM

FTR I think it's dumb to expect Belleve to foot the bill by themselves. If it was being put in a tunnel solely for aesthetic reasons, then sure. But a tunnel will improve the entire line for everyone---Seattleites, Mercer Islanders, Redmonders, and anyone else commuting to a station.

Is there some reason we can't just have an elevated line? On second thought, maybe this mostly is Bellevue's fault.

April 24th, 2013, 05:05 PM	#391
mhays Journeyman Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 8,346 Likes (Received): 116	It could be worse. A long block further downhill would have been a disaster. __________________ Windows 8 is horrible. Everything is difficult, unless it's impossible. After four months it's not getting better.

April 24th, 2013, 05:42 PM	#393
mhays Journeyman Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 8,346 Likes (Received): 116	I'd say we're in the middle somewhere. Even passing the Sound Transit II measure would be beyond many metros at $17 billion. And everyone is dysfunctional. __________________ Windows 8 is horrible. Everything is difficult, unless it's impossible. After four months it's not getting better.

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December 1st, 2012, 03:44 AM	#381
bgwah honk!!! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,732 Likes (Received): 76	If they build one in Bellevue, will one still be built in Redmond eventually?

December 1st, 2012, 04:34 AM	#382
Doomgoggles Unregistered non-user Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle/Kitsap Posts: 738 Likes (Received): 39	It has to be somewhere on the East link line, and there are a few spots in Bellevue where it really wouldn't cause any trouble. Redmond won't need their own. We can't build a maint base in the south end yet: not until a trunk line connects it to Seattle, bypassing the Rainier Valley. Eventually the south end might need their own, for an extension to downtown Federal Way.

December 1st, 2012, 05:41 AM	#383
bgwah honk!!! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,732 Likes (Received): 76	I know there was supposed to be a maintenance facility at the end of the line near Whole Foods in Redmond. But since we're only getting to Overlake, I'm just wondering if that's why they're looking at Belred now.

December 2nd, 2012, 12:03 AM	#384
alexjonlin Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,248 Likes (Received): 82	Yeah I think that might've been the plan when they were going to build farther south towards Federal Way as part of ST2, but since they need a second maintenance facility for ST2 and they had to cut the southernmost segment, they have to build a facility either in Bel-Red or south Snohomish County. Like I said earlier though, a Bel-Red maintenance facility has always been an option, going back to the DEIS in 2008.

April 24th, 2013, 06:34 AM	#385
DawgFan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 185 Likes (Received): 10	I know the city is doing all it can to save money in order to build the tunnel but this seems so shortsighted. I'm sure Kemper is ecstatic about the station being out in no man's land and nowhere near his empire http://seattletransitblog.com/2013/0...savings-picks/

April 24th, 2013, 07:19 AM	#386
cameronrex Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 462 Likes (Received): 31	I'm trying to picture where the downtown station is. The transit center is NE 6th between 110th and 112th so it sounds like the station will be under there?

April 24th, 2013, 08:17 AM	#390
cameronrex Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 462 Likes (Received): 31	Yup. Having just the one stop in that location really limits the lines effectiveness as a commuting option into Bellevue. Too bad. Have never understood Freeman Jr's opposition?

April 24th, 2013, 05:23 PM	#392
bgwah honk!!! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,732 Likes (Received): 76	I'm almost speechless at this point. The route is terrible and I don't think anyone likes it. Would this have happened in other metros, or are we exceptionally dysfunctional?

April 24th, 2013, 09:43 PM	#396
alexjonlin Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,248 Likes (Received): 82	Which is another bright spot of this alignment: it's farther away from the current center of gravity in Downtown Bellevue, along Bellevue Way, but development will follow the station and I wouldn't be surprised if the station is in the middle of things in 20 years.

April 24th, 2013, 10:09 PM	#397
Matt the Engineer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 1,079 Likes (Received): 88	The problem with that theory is that it's a block from the freeway, and freeways form an almost solid wall when it comes to walkshed.

April 25th, 2013, 12:33 AM	#400
bgwah honk!!! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,732 Likes (Received): 76	FTR I think it's dumb to expect Belleve to foot the bill by themselves. If it was being put in a tunnel solely for aesthetic reasons, then sure. But a tunnel will improve the entire line for everyone---Seattleites, Mercer Islanders, Redmonders, and anyone else commuting to a station. Is there some reason we can't just have an elevated line? On second thought, maybe this mostly is Bellevue's fault.