Sound Transit to Lynnwood: Alternatives Narrowed to 5

Map courtesy Sound Transit

This week, presentation materials for a briefing on the Sound Transit North Corridor Transit Project – extending mass transit to Lynnwood –showed that the alternatives had been narrowed to the following:

• Interstate 5 Light Rail
• State Route 99 (Aurora Avenue North) elevated light rail
• State Route 99 (Aurora Avenue North) light rail at grade
• Interstate 5 Bus Rapid Transit
• Interstate 5, State Route 99, and 15th NE Bus Rapid Transit

Criteria included: consistency with Sound Transit’s Long-Range Plan, travel time, reliability, capacity, regional system connectivity, land use and economic development compatibility, extraordinary cost considerations, environmental considerations, and regional growth center accessibility.

Sound Transit staff reported they heard the following themes from participants at the 3 public workshops they held this fall, on-line survey respondents, 90 comments via mail and email, and other:

• Light rail is preferred
• Access to it: parking, pedestrian, bicycle, east/west transit, is key
• Interstate 5 was preferred due to being faster, more direct, and more efficient; whereas State Route 99 (Aurora Avenue North) was deemed better in terms of land use and economic development potential
• There were many ideas for stations

The alternatives will be further refined and advanced for what is called “Level 2 detailed screening.” Out of this will come the alternatives that the Sound Transit Board of Directors selects for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or DEIS, next spring. The project itself is expected to be up and running by 2023.

From Sound Transit

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