Bellevue Should Sue Sound Transit

The video of the Sound Transit Board January 26^th meeting exemplifies the need for a transit performance audit.  This post details why the Bellevue City Council should take legal action to mitigate the effects of Sound Transit incompetence on eastside.

 They should sue to prevent Sound Transit from implementing the East Link Starter Line between Redmond Technology Center (RTC) and South Bellevue P&R.  There currently is a B Line Rapid Ride Route from Redmond to Bellevue. Metro describes it as:

 

Metro's all new RapidRide B Line brings a new world of rapid transit to the Eastside. This is Metro's fastest and easiest way to travel, with service so frequent you don't even need a schedule.

The route provides commuters within walking distance of 11 stops with access to transit between RTC and Bellevue TC.  Access to the Starter Line would be limited to 4 stops with parking available at 300 stalls at 130^th station.  The schedule currently calls for “10-min all day,” though its not clear what “all day” means.  

 

The Starter Line between Bellevue T/C and South Bellevue P&R includes a stop at East Main that lacks parking for access.  Starter Line riders would transfer to and from ST550 at the P&R for the commute into and out of Seattle.  ST550 is currently routed along 110^th Ave to Bellevue T/C through downtown Bellevue with access at 6 stops along route to P&R.  During peak commute the buses run every 5 minutes. 

 

A Sound Transit CEO Timms Dec 8^th blog post had stipulated that ST550 would continue along with Starter Line to and from P&R.  However, the January 26^thpresentation included the following:

 

Examining opportunities to partially restructure ST Express Bus service to complement Starter Line

 

Clearly an attempt to terminate ST550 at South Bellevue.  The result being the only commuters with access to transit from Bellevue would be those within walking distance of Bellevue T/C and East Main Station.  That all commuters would be forced to transfer from ST550 to Starter Line at South Bellevue for the ride into Bellevue.

The bottom line is the Starter Line needlessly duplicates existing transit service with far better access between RTC and South Bellevue P&R. The Bellevue City Council should take legal action to prevent Sound Transit from implementing a Starter Line that terminates RapidRide B Line at RTC, ST550 at South Bellevue P&R, and forcers riders to transfer from buses to light rail for the trip into Bellevue.