Shoreline City Council unanimously supports ST3 measure on November ballot

From the City of Shoreline

On August 8, 2016, the Shoreline City Council unanimously voted to support Sound Transit’s ST3 ballot proposition Number 1 to provide the expansion of light rail, commuter rail, and bus rapid transit service throughout the region.

ST3 provides the next phase of high-capacity transit improvements for central Puget Sound. With this plan, the light rail system will more than double again to 116 miles with over 70 stations. Light rail will expand north to Everett, south to Federal Way and Tacoma, east to downtown Redmond, south Kirkland, and Issaquah, and west to Ballard and West Seattle.

ST3 will also invest in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in two corridors: connecting Lynnwood to Burien via I-405 and SR 518 to serve Eastside cities as well as Tukwila and Burien; and on SR 522 between Bothell and Shoreline with service extending to Woodinville, and connecting to Link light rail via Northeast 145th Street.

The City has strongly and consistently advocated for Bus Rapid Transit service along 145th Street. It is necessary to ensure transit success in conjunction with the light rail station at 145th Street. 

The Council has recognized that the parking garage at the station is insufficient to handle the ridership demands of the station, and that those riders will likely drive to the station and park in the surrounding area absent a consistent and reliable transit alternative.

“The 145th street light rail station will be the primary access point for many of our residents and our neighbors,” stated Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts. “Bus Rapid Transit on SR 522 and 145th Street will help ensure traffic to and from the station runs smoothly and efficiently. Inclusion of the project made it easy for Council to unanimously support the Sound Transit 3 package.”

Shoreline, along with the cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, and Woodinville, jointly advocated for Bus Rapid Transit on SR 522 (145th Street) from the 145th Street Light Rail station to SR-522 (Lake City Way) and up SR-522 to I-405 and University of Washington Bothell, with an extension to Woodinville.

The request also included the addition of structured parking facilities in Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and Bothell town centers, and the future study of light rail on SR 522.

The ST3 plan will provide the critical infrastructure improvements that, in conjunction with the City’s plan for the remainder of the 145th Street corridor, will allow very frequent, reliable transit to serve the station.

Learn more about ST3 here.