Picture This!  
What's new this week in transportation

A coordinated approach to relieving congestion on I-90 corridor

Click on the hot-linked numbers to see more information about the projects that, taken together, will help relieve congestion and provide more options for travel along the Interstate 90 corridor. A new parking garage at the Eastgate park-and-ride lot and the new North SPAR road providing access to the Sammamish Plateau are just two of many major improvements now being prepared for construction.

King County is poised to begin construction on two transportation projects along Interstate 90 that will deliver major improvements for motorists and bus riders.

A new multistory 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 about $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 multilane 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, WSDOT northwest regional administrator.

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, but it 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

• I-90 two-way transit operations -- Establish transit and HOV priority lanes in both directions for all-day service.
• Eastgate HOV Direct Access -- New HOV exits from I-90 to Eastgate park-and-ride lot.
• Mercer Island park-and-ride lot expansion -- Joint project of Sound Transit and the City of Mercer Island to improve and expand parking on the island.
• New express transit service -- ST Express Route 554 from Issaquah to Seattle. Already increased both peak and midday bus service in the corridor.

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 Route 900, build transit/HOV improvements, improve safety and eliminate back-ups onto I-90.

Related links

"Plateau to get easier access to I-90," Seattle Times, Dec. 5, 2001
"Sims applauds major federal funding for King County transportation projects," news release, Nov. 30, 2001, (includes funding for two-way transit operations on I-90)
"Idea revived: more, tighter lanes on I-90 across lake," Seattle Times, Oct. 24, 2001
North SPAR (Sammamish Plateau Access Road)
Eastgate Park and Ride Expansion Project
Metro Transit new Route 217 service
Sound Transit I-90 two-way transit operations projects[external link]
Sound Transit Eastgate Direct Access Project [external link]
Sound Transit Express new Route 554 Seattle-Issaquah service
WashDOT I-90, Sunset Interchange [external link]
"Sunset Interchange Project Breaks Ground on Phase 2," WashDOT news release, July 16, 2001 [external link]
Issaquah Highlands, developer-sponsored Web site [external link]
The SR 900 Connection Line, developer-sponsored Web site [external link]

Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County.
By visiting this and other King County Web pages,
you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site.
The details.