East Link Parking a Concern for Mercer Island Residents

Parking at Sound Transit's Mercer Island station for East Link light rail is a major concern for Island residents, according to a document released by the transportation agency.

"For the station to serve MI – that is, all of MI – it needs parking that MI residents can reasonably rely on. I don’t see that in the current plan," one person told Sound Transit.

The current Mercer Island Park and Ride lot has 447 spaces. Sound Transit predicts 2,000 daily Mercer Island station boardings by 2030, officials have said.

The document summarizes the comments made at a meeting earlier this summer to discuss design of the new station and the effect on the neighborhood around Mercer Island's planned East Link station.

The new station will be located in the center roadway of Interstate 90 at 80th Avenue. Riders will get to the station via 77th Avenue SE and 80th Avenue SE, which is close to the existing Mercer Island Park-and-Ride lot. The light rail will connect Redmond, Bellevue and Mercer Island to Sound Transit's existing Central Link light rail line via I-90.

The public comments also showed an overwhelming preference for the station name "Mercer Island." It was preferred 2-to-1 over any alternative, including the runner up "Mercer Island Town Center."

The agency plans to hold another public comment period when the Mercer Island station is 60 percent designed, expected to be later this year.

The entire 14-mile line that will connect Seattle's Central Link with the Eastside through Redmond via a light rail system through Mercer Island and Bellevue will cost $2.8 billion and is expected to open in 2023.

Public Comments about parking submitted to Sound Transit

Mercer Island Station Access 

• Interest in additional parking capacity: 

Seems pointless to build a station without a certainty of additional parking. Park & ride lot is full by 7 am. Why build light rail that either takes riders from buses or doesn’t have riders because there is no parking? I know people who used to ride from Rainier but no longer can because their bus service to the light rail has been eliminated and you have no parking. I am very familiar with the SF Bart service. It’s success is largely due to the parking provided at their stations. I like the idea of future TOD. 

Please make sure there is lots of parking. Everyone on the east side will drive and park on Mercer Island to switch to public transport into the city or airport. We don’t have enough parking now. 

A multi-story parking facility is required for commuters! 

• Concerns about parking for Mercer Island residents: 

The largest hurdle for the station will be providing parking—the Mercer Island staff partnership will be crucial to light rail. Mercer Island city needs to sell a yearly parking pass to Mercer residents to use a Mercer Island funded lot. A portion of the community center should be designated for residents with permits. 

Important to resist adding more parking on MI because that would add to traffic jam between MI & Bellevue. We do need some parking reserve for MI residents possibly a separate lot. 

Allocating parking for Mercer Island residents is ESSENTIAL to making this work for our community. We need allocated parking for our community! 

For the station to serve MI – that is, all of MI – it needs parking that MI residents can reasonably rely on. I don’t see that in the current plan. 

Only Mercer Island residents can use the parking lot. 

Please, work on a central parking area for M.I. residents only. Even now it is hard to find a parking spot during day. Consider a 3, 4, 5 story parking garage. 

Comments related to safety and security: 

Add lighting along 77th and 80th walkways. 

Safe pedestrian pass from parking lot to station. 

Provide ample lighting along sidewalk. 

Are there discussions w/ MI City about increasing MI police security in the evening & night hours, on the neighborhood streets? 

Provide 24 hour cameras inside & out (safety concern). 

- Excerpt from Mercer Island Final Design Open House Public Involvement Summary