Politics & Government

Sound Transit to Buy Rail Track Land in Bellevue For East Link

Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle announced an agreement to purchase 1.1 miles of former BNSF track in Bellevue near the future Hospital Station and easements for future access to the rail corridor.

Sound Transit purchased 1.1 miles of former BNSF track on Thrusday that will be used for the construction of East Link light rail from the Port of Seattle, according to a joint press statement released this week by both agencies.

The portion of East Link that will be built on former BNSF railway is near Overlake Hospital and Group Health medical centers (which are at Northeast 10th Street and 116th Avenue Northeast), at what will be known as Hospital Station, according to Sound Transit.

The $13.8 million agreement also includes easements for future access to 37 miles of the Eastside rail corridor between Woodinville and Renton, which would allow for the transit agency build new passneger rail if voters approve it in the future, according to the press release.

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Mercer Island's East Link Train Station Remains On Track

The East Link route — which will to Seattle's existing Sound Transit Link Light Rail line between downtown Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — was after the project was approved by voters in 2008.

The light rail line is currently in design phase with construction slated to start in 2015 and service is slated to start in 2023, according to most recent update from Sound Transit.

Find out what's happening in Mercer Islandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Plans to run Mercer Island's segment of the East Link rail line over the center lanes of Interstate 90, thereby replacing the center lanes, seem certain to move forward after the last in a series of failed earlier this year. Voters also turned back an initiative challenge to the use of the center lanes of I-90 for light rail in the form of I-1125 — .

Mercer Island's light rail station is planned in-between the east- and westbound lanes of I-90 running from approximately 77th Ave. SE to 80th Ave Southeast. WSDOT's highway construction project — — will eventually shift the reversible center lane's HOV traffic capacity to the east- and westbound lanes. The project is scheduled for completion by 2015.

It remains unclear if Mercer Island will retain single-occupancy access to the HOV lanes to reach Bellevue and Seattle that local motists currently enjoy.

Redmond's East Link Extention Still Planned But Remains Unfunded

In addition to the 37-mile easement, Sound Transit also received rights to access the portion of the rail corridor located within Redmond's city limits.

The access rights would allow for future construction of a light rail extension between the Overlake Transit Center, the current planned endpoint of construction, and downtown Redmond, according to the press release.

While the route to downtown Redmond has been planned, the funding is not yet available, according to Sound Transit.

“This transaction gets the residents of Redmond, Bellevue and the entire Eastside closer to enjoying congestion-free transportation on fast and efficient light rail trains,” said Sound Transit Board Member and Redmond Mayor John Marchione, in a prepared statement. “Longer term, we’re also thrilled that this purchase supports the priority of extending Link all the way to Downtown Redmond.”

Sound Transit's board approved the purchase from the port last year, and the details were made final this week.

“Building East Link will create an estimated 40,000 direct and indirect jobs for our region while establishing a long-awaited mass transit connection across Lake Washington,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, in a prepared statement. “Thanks to the strong partnership between Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle, this transaction not only acquires essential property for East Link, but secures easements that could reduce the costs of future transit expansions.” 

“By partnering with agencies like Sound Transit, the port has been able to protect a rail corridor that could prove crucial to the region’s future growth,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Gael Tarleton. “The port’s Century Agenda strategic plan calls for the creation of 100,000 new jobs in 25 years, and partnerships like this one ensure that as a region, we are ready.”

The abandoned BNSF Eastside rail corridor runs between Woodinville and Renton and , according to the agencies' press release.

Sound Transit’s transaction and plans for constructing East Link comply with requirements of the national rail banking program to maintain the ability and sufficient space for the potential resumption freight rail operations on the corridor, the agencies said.

Sound Transit would need to build new tracks to support the safety features and operating speeds needed for passenger rail service, according to the agency.


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