Bellevue Light Rail/East Link thread

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by Seasun

Light rail and transit in general should never be expected to reduce congestion - pisses me off when politicians and media imply otherwise - but it also shouldn't make traffic worse (including traffic like buses). Transit increases the capacity to move people and provides a great travel option for some people. Putting rail on Bellevue streets is a joke (or any city's streets) unless it's called a streetcar or trolley.

Agreed! Passenger vehicle traffic is perhaps the most resilient in self-managing congestion. If I notice that one route is busy every day, whereas another route is not every day. Go figure.

This is my argument for the Mercer Mess redo. If it doesn't solve congestion then people will deal or find another way.

[Backstrom]

Planners know it's an ass move, but congestion is supposed to relieve demand for driving. In fact, transit owes part of its ridership to congestion, so a lot of times we need traffic jams for people to learn that there is a faster way to get to work.

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by Backstrom

Planners know it's an ass move, but congestion is supposed to relieve demand for driving. In fact, transit owes part of its ridership to congestion, so a lot of times we need traffic jams for people to learn that there is a faster way to get to work.

Further agreed!

If I get fat, I don't blame the Big Mac. I don't demand they make the same sandwich calorie free. I change my habits. We do live amongst those with unquenchable diets.

[RMacherat]

Oh thank you, Seasun! It's been lonely.

If there is a street, cars will fill it. (Unless you're in Ephrata.)

I still argue that putting rail on streets = trolley.

[BellevueGuy]

Originally Posted by Backstrom

A very old gentlemen asked a hilarious question at the end. "Will any of the downtown stations provide parking? Some of us would like to drive into downtown to take the light rail system!"

It's a stupid question with some validity.

Do you know any big park & ride planned at the end of the light rail (Overlake or Microsoft station)?

I hope it will be bigger than the Tukwilla one to encourage people to use it to get to Seattle or Bellevue downtown.

[tmaxxfreak11]

Originally Posted by BellevueGuy

It's a stupid question with some validity.

Do you know any big park & ride planned at the end of the light rail (Overlake or Microsoft station)?

I hope it will be bigger than the Tukwilla one to encourage people to use it to get to Seattle or Bellevue downtown.

Both sides of Downtown Bellevue. Both the South Bellevue P&R and Overlake TC will have stations.

[alexjonlin]

And one Bel-Red Station I believe. Plus almost all the stations outside of Seattle on the North and South Link lines.

[BellevueGuy]

Originally Posted by Backstrom

For those who can make it, I'd urge you to come out to ST's open house for its downtown alignment tomorrow from 4-7pm. Don't expect much in the way of things accomplished. Expect a lot of people supporting the C9T tunnel, several out for C11A, some strongly against C11A, even more against C9A, and a whole load of people asking what the hell C14E is doing so far away from downtown.

That being said, my sole mission tomorrow is to seek and destroy C14E. There will be several Surrey Downs/Freeman-friendly/EBA-type folks out saying how great the Vision Line is and how it will be so cheap and avoids impacts. But cold hard facts completely slam down this alignment, despite the fact that Wallace continues to push it with consultants and money, even as a freshman senator. He's biting off more than he can chew.

Reading your blog... seems the main concerns Surrey Down residents sound like how their properties might depreciate if the rail goes through.

Is that true though? I know light rail station always appreciate the land value immediately around it - every SLU condo website will have a shiny streetcar on it

I think the sooner people stop the "preserve the neighborhood" talk and start addressing the real concerns (some numbers showing Surrey Down people how they will benefit $$$ from it?), we might not have a problem after all.

[alexjonlin]

It's not at all true. Link will do nothing but raise their property values, although most of them aren't very close to a station so it really won't affect them at all.

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by alexjonlin

It's not at all true. Link will do nothing but raise their property values, although most of them aren't very close to a station so it really won't affect them at all.

I'm not so sure. Currently this appears to be a fairly quiet neighborhood. That will change with trains racing by several times/hour. In Rainier Valley, the condo or apt projects all have the Link to show easy walking distance to light rail. That area already suffers from SOME traffic related noise. What's a few bells?

Make sense?

[Backstrom]

The bells are in the operations manual; something we hope can be changed in a few years. And since the segment that passes Surrey Downs is elevated, no horns or signal alerts will affect surrounding areas.

Property values will most certainly not depreciate. I testified about this at the council study session. Homes around Denver's RTD stations climbed 4% in property values, between 2006-2008, and the rest of the metro market declined an avg. of 7.5%. This was after the housing bubble burst, so those findings are impressive.

[alexjonlin]

Also, it'll be along 112th, already an arterial, so noise won't be much of an increase.

[HAWC1506]

I was just at the Bellevue City Council meeting regarding Eastlink with Backstrom today. Apparently Conrad Lee doesn't think South Bellevue Park and Ride is near the freeway.

[CityView Jim]

And there will be no Slough crossing!! Council is endorsing B7 now - but does that really matter?!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...htrail02m.html

[rj2uman]

fr the above link "Light-rail service to Bellevue is to start in 2020."

WOAH............

[Backstrom]

Originally Posted by HAWC1506

I was just at the Bellevue City Council meeting regarding Eastlink with Backstrom today. Apparently Conrad Lee doesn't think South Bellevue Park and Ride is near the freeway.

Conrad Lee is potentially the most ignorant member on the council, with Davidson trailing in close behind. Sad, considering that they're supposed to be the longest-serving councilmembers.

[HAWC1506]

Originally Posted by Backstrom

Conrad Lee is potentially the most ignorant member on the council, with Davidson trailing in close behind. Sad, considering that they're supposed to be the longest-serving councilmembers.

I've found that the people who serve the longest have the hardest time accepting change. I don't blame them, but that doesn't mean they can't be open minded. They should at least welcome new ideas.

Or simply accept the fact that they're obsolete and step down.

[jam5]

As expected, the Bellevue City Council changed their preference to B7:

[just4ivaylo]

Why would they change it to the BNSF corridor? Who exactly is that going to serve? There's nothing in that area!

[CrazyAboutCities]

Bellevue councilors need to stop playing the game and start thinking about which routes that will serve most Bellevue residents and meet commuters' needs.