The 1,000-stall Issaquah Highlands Park-and-Ride will be the second park-and-ride garage built by King County. Earlier this year, Metro opened its first commuter garage at Eastgate on I-90, and more and more commuters are using that facility every week.

“What we’ve already learned in the five months since the Eastgate garage opened, is that if you build convenient transit facilities the commuters will come,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Issaquah Highlands will be the same. It has easy access to I-90 and it is a short drive for thousands of people who live in Issaquah, Sammamish and unincorporated areas of King County.”

Sims said both Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration are financial partners in the $26.6 million project. Also, Metro’s project team has worked cooperatively with Port Blakely Communities, the developer of the surrounding planned community, and the City of Issaquah’s Major Development Review Team on the architectural appearance of the garage and how it is integrated into the adjacent Issaquah Highlands Town Center. Unlike Eastgate, the Issaquah Highlands site will not have any surface parking, but plans do call for 10,000 square feet of retail space on the south side of the structure to be built by a private developer.

Construction of the garage should take 12 to 15 months, and it is projected to be ready for commuters by February 2006. It will be served by both Metro and Sound Transit bus routes. Currently, there is a 100-stall temporary park-and-ride at Issaquah Highlands that is just served by Sound Transit’s Route 554.

“The interim lot Sound Transit opened in the fall 2003 is now almost full every day,” said Sound Transit Board Member Fred Butler, who is also a member of the Issaquah City Council. “There is obviously an unmet demand for transit service in this area. This new facility will be a great addition to Sound Transit’s comprehensive system of express bus services.”

The City of Issaquah is also pleased to see more transit facilities being built to serve its residents and those who live nearby. The new park-and-ride garage should relieve some of the overcrowding that currently exists at the 26-year-old Issaquah Park-and-Ride, which is located south of I-90 on Issaquah-Renton Road (State Route 900).

"Issaquah is delighted to be working in partnership with King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit on this park-and-ride garage, which will not only serve Issaquah Highlands but also the entire North Issaquah community," said Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger.

“It also supports regional mobility by intercepting single-occupant vehicle trips upstream along this heavily used transportation corridor,” said Frisinger. "Issaquah’s involvement in the project underlines the city's commitment to expanding the local and regional transit network."

Executive Sims noted that Metro’s new transit facilities and the park-and-ride expansions planned by Sound Transit along I-90 offer other regional benefits.

“The more people we can entice into commuting by bus and carpooling, the more cars we are taking off our highways and arterial streets,” said Sims. “That relieves congestion, keeps our air clean, and improves the quality of life here in King County.”

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Issaquah Highlands Park-and-Ride Garage fact sheet

Project description: The $26.6 million park-and-ride project includes planning, land acquisition, engineering, design, and construction of a 1,000-stall parking structure, transit center, and passenger-loading areas on a 4.2-acre site in the Issaquah Highlands development located in the City of Issaquah north of Interstate 90. The purpose of the new park-and-ride garage is to facilitate transit use in the Issaquah Highlands development, North Issaquah, and the Sammamish Plateau area.

The Issaquah Highlands is a planned community located in the City of Issaquah. It is being developed by Port Blakely Communities, and upon completion will consist of 3,250 new residential units, an urban town center, and several million square feet of office space – all within walking distance of the park-and-ride garage. Plans call for the new garage to be served by both Metro and Sound Transit bus routes when it opens in February 2006.

Approximately 10,000 square feet of retail space is planned along the southern end of the structure to meet the development requirements of the surrounding town center.

Metro Transit’s project team has worked cooperatively with Port Blakely and the city of Issaquah’s Major Development Review Team to develop the architectural appearance and function of the garage to integrate into the surrounding town center atmosphere of the Issaquah Highlands development.

• Property Size: 4.2 Acres
• Number of parking stalls: 1,000
• Structure Size: 311,900 square feet total
• Number of Floors: 5
• Building Height - South End: 30-35 feet; North End: 50-55 feet
• Passenger loading zones: 4
• Bus layover: Space for up to six 60-foot buses
• Van loading zones: 3 to 4

Garage features:

• Passenger shelters or covered area at loading zones.
• Open exterior stairs and glass-enclosed elevators that meet ADA requirements.
• Interior lighting that meets lighting standards for parking structures.
• Generator will be provided for emergency electrical needs.
• Emergency panic alarm stations and security cameras located on each floor.
• Architectural and landscape design meets Issaquah’s Urban Village Standards.

Construction: Construction start – November 2004
Projected opening – February 2006 (to coincide with transit service change) Built by Bayley Construction
Designed by KPFF Consulting Engineers

*Total project cost: $26.6 million
King County Metro Transit – $9.2 million
Sound Transit – $7.7 million
Federal Transit Administration – $9.7 million

*Estimated

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