What I-405 Corridor Advisory Group Should Do

The September 20^th Bellevue Reporter article “Corridor advisory group discusses legislative session, projects at meeting” exemplifies their current flawed approach to I-405 congestion, what even the WSDOT acknowledges is “one of the state’s worst commutes”. 

The article suggests the Corridor advisory group doesn’t recognize the “problem” so it’s “unlikely” any suggestions they make will do much to reduce it.  First the lack of adequate public transit capacity.  The advisory group talks about how they propose “moving BRT stations” to shorten the current 57-minute ST express bus commutes between Lynnwood and Bellevue. 

However they ignore the fact that Sound Transit I-405 service from Lynnwood is limited to 6 ST535 buses between 6:30 and 9:30 am.  That Everett to Bellevue service is limited to 7 ST532 buses.  Clearly reducing travel times for those buses is “unlikely” to reduce I-405 congestion between Lynnwood and Bellevue.

Meanwhile, south of Bellevue, the 11-mile, Renton-to-Bellevue travel times are 60 minutes on GP lanes and 33 minutes on HOV lane.   Those travel times were the major reason the 23-mile Federal Way-to-Bellevue commute take 83 minutes on GP lanes and 51 minutes on HOV.  

Yet there are no I-405 bus routes between Federal Way and Bellevue and there are only 6 ST560 buses from Burien between 6:30 and 9:30 am. They take 58 minutes to reach Bellevue T/C because of stops at SeaTac and Renton T/C.

The corridor advisory group should “advise” Sound Transit dramatically increase I-405 bus service now rather than wait until 2024 to implement I-405 BRT.  That BRT works best with direct routes between a single P&R and destination, not a route with 10 stops between Lynnwood and Burien. 

During peak commute, I-405 BRT should provide each P&R with a non-stop bus route to Bellevue every 10 or 15 minutes, not a single bus every 10 minutes for the 10 stops along the entire route.  The corridor group should also “advise” Sound Transit to divert the $300 million they’re planning to spend on an 85^th Ave T/C with no P&R for access towards added I-405 bus service and local routes to P&R lots. 

Second, the advisory group should recognize the WSDOT plans for 2 HOT lanes between Lynnwood and Renton will, at least during peak commute, increase BRT travel times. The HOT lanes are a major reason for the current 57-minute bus commutes between Lynnwood and Bellevue. The problem being the 2nd HOT lane eliminates a GP lane, increasing congestion to where more that 2000 drivers per hour are willing to pay the HOT fees than the HOV lane can accommodate and still attain 45 mph.  

They should “advise” WSDOT to limit HOT to one lane along the entire route with fees raised to limit traffic to the 2000 vehicles per hour.  Doing so would ensure 45 mph for those willing to pay and those riding buses. The added GP lane would reduce congestion for those unwilling or unable to pay. 

That’s what “advisory groups” are supposed to do.  Abiding Sound Transit and WSDOT current I-405 plans will exacerbate the congestion problem.