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News Release
Release date: Dec. 3, 2001
New transportation projects prepping for construction
Just two of many major improvements planned for busy I-90 corridor
King County is poised to begin construction on two transportation projects in the Interstate 90 corridor that will deliver major improvements for
motorists and bus riders.
A new five-story parking garage at the Eastgate park-and-ride lot and a
new road connecting the Sammamish Plateau with I-90 are just the
latest links in a series of projects that will provide significant
congestion relief and improve travel options in the busy corridor along
I-90 from Seattle to Issaquah.
"Collectively, King County, Sound Transit and the Washington State
Department of Transportation (WSDOT) are investing approximately $250 million over the
next few years to create one of the most efficient and flexible
transportation corridors in the region," said King County Executive Ron
Sims. "Not only are we making this 20-mile stretch less congested, but we
are also close to developing a freeway-based bus rapid transit corridor."
Two weeks ago, $33 million for the Eastgate park-and-ride lot was approved
with the adoption of the 2002 King County budget. The project includes an
expanded transit facility, with a structured parking garage that will
provide parking for 1,693 vehicles plus off-site parking for 550 vehicles during
construction.
The next step for the Eastgate project is approval and permitting of
the final design for the garage. There will be an open house on
Tuesday, Dec. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Eastgate Congregational Church,
15381 S.E. Newport Way, Bellevue. Metro Transit staff will display the
proposed design and receive public comments on the design and other
aspects of the project.
In other work, the county is expected to advertise for bids this week
on the North Sammamish Plateau Access Road (SPAR). This multi-lane
arterial connects the Sammamish Plateau to I-90, via a new road network
through the Issaquah Highlands development. The county is investing more
than $25 million in this corridor.
The combination of the North and South SPAR roads and the new Sunset
Interchange on I-90 is expected to reduce the congestion that brings
traffic at the two existing Issaquah freeway exits to a standstill during
peak periods. King County also plans to build a park-and-ride lot within
Issaquah Highlands to divert some of the plateau traffic from the freeway.
"The Sunset Interchange, State Route 900 and the SPAR projects are a
result of strategic cooperation between transportation agencies with the
goal of improving access to and from Issaquah, as well as providing better
commutes through the system," said Lorena Eng, northwest regional
administrator for the WSDOT.
The combination of state, county and city of Issaquah projects in the
Issaquah Highlands area is typical of the coordinated efforts throughout
the I-90 corridor. The expanded Eastgate park-and-ride lot is a King County
project, built on WSDOT property, and will be complemented by new direct access exits for high-occupancy vehicles (HOV) from I-90 built by Sound Transit. In September, Metro and Sound Transit expanded bus
service connecting Eastgate to a variety of destinations.
For I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue, Sound Transit and WSDOT recently
received permission from the Federal Highway Administration to explore a
two-way HOV lane that would keep buses and carpools moving all day.
A series of public open houses and scoping meetings for the two-way HOV
proposal will be held by Sound Transit on the following dates:
- Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., Leavitt Building, Room 1AB, 301
116th Ave. S.E. (Bellevue City Hall campus), Bellevue
- Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., Mercer Island High School
Commons, 9100 S.E. 42nd St., Mercer Island
- Thursday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m., Union Station, Sound Transit Board
Room, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle.
"By delivering a mix of added capacity and transit improvements, our
agencies are making a real impact in the I-90 corridor," said Dave Earling,
chairman of the Sound Transit Board. "We know that it will take a
comprehensive package of bus service, transit facilities and roadway
connections to maximize the efficiency of this corridor."
Projects now under way or in the planning stages for the I-90
corridor include the following:
King County
-
Eastgate park-and-ride lot expansion -- An expanded transit facility,
including a structured parking garage that will provide parking for
1,693 vehicles, plus off-site parking for 550 vehicles when construction begins
next summer.
- Issaquah
Highlands park-and-ride lot -- A new lot north of I-90 to serve commuters
in the Sammamish and north Issaquah areas.
-
North SPAR -- New connection from the Sammamish Plateau to I-90, via
the South SPAR and Sunset Interchange, with construction scheduled to
start next spring.
-
East Lake Sammamish Parkway -- Working with the City of Issaquah to
widen the existing five-lane roadway between Issaquah-Fall City
Road and the westbound on-ramp to I-90.
- Increased transit service -- New Metro
Route
217 in September, providing Seattle-Eastgate-Issaquah service
during the morning commute and reverse in the afternoon. In February,
Route 216 will begin with direct service from the Sammamish Plateau to
Seattle via Mercer Island.
Sound Transit
Washington Department of Transportation
- Sunset Interchange -- Sound Transit, along with several public and
private partners, is working with the state on this new I-90
interchange to serve current plateau residents and the increased traffic
generated from new residential and commercial developments.
- State Route 900 corridor -- The state is working with the City of
Issaquah, King County, Sound Transit and private developers to increase
capacity on State Route900, build transit/HOV improvements, improve safety and
eliminate back-ups onto I-90.
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