The previous post concluded that if the WSDOT insisted on imposing HOT fees on two I-405 HOV lanes, the motions in Sound Transit Board’s October 23rd agenda for funding their I-405 Stride Bus Rapid Transit project will do little to help those willing to pay the HOT fees and will increase the travel times for those who won’t. The agenda, the latest result of a July 1, 2016 Prop 1, ST3 Map for a 11-station, 38-mile route between Lynnwood and Burien, Sound Transit costed at $812--$869M (2014$) and Sound Transit projected, when completed in 2024, would have 15,000—18,000 riders.
This post details the results of the board meeting. As expected, they unanimously approved Motion No. M2025-50, spending up to $55.4 million to improve Renton Transit Center, M2025-51, up to $178.9 million on a Tukwila International Boulevard Station, and an unknown amount to WSDOT for construction of Stride Bus Rapid Transit Improvements.
The original prediction for 2024 completion has slid until 2029 with added S1 Line parking on NE 44th and near Renton T/C delayed until 2034. Sound Transit is no longer making S1 and S2 ridership predictions. Commuters in the S1 area are currently served by ST Express Ridership Route 560. It makes multiple stops from Bellevue T/C, along I-405, Renton T/C and Rainier Ave, to SeaTac terminal and on SR-518 to Burien TC and beyond to Westwood Village. It currently runs every 30 minutes from 5:07 a.m. to 7:07 p.m. and hourly until 10:37 p.m. The August ridership, 1369 average boardings per day.
However, that schedule ends on March 28th so it’s unclear what happens until Sound Transit implements S1 part of I-405 Stride Bus Rapid Transit project in 2029 with plans to replace 560 Route. Their current overview:
The Stride S1 Line will connect communities along I-405 and SR 518 from Bellevue to Burien. Like all Stride routes, buses on the S1 Line will run every 10 to 15 minutes, 17+ hours per day. The S1 Line will connect to Link light rail stations at the Bellevue Transit Center, above the Bellevue Downtown Station, and Tukwila International Boulevard Station. The S1 Line will provide seamless transfers to transit services provided by Sound Transit, Community Transit, and King County Metro. The Stride S1 and S2 fleets will consist of double-decker battery-electric buses.
The map shows 405 stops at new parking on NE 44th and Renton T/C and a new station on Tukwila International Blvd on 518, terminating S1 Line at Burien T/C. Thus, commuters will lose access to the 560 Route stops along 405 and beyond Burien T/C on 518 to Westwood Village. Again, 560 Route riders had a stop at SeaTac Terminal. S1 riders will need to use the Tukwila station, walk across a 518 overpass to get to and from a 1 Line train to terminal.
The new Stride double-decker battery electric buses will need to be “charged while laying over at both ends of the route and overnight at the Base.” It's not clear how buses every 10-15 minutes allows for charging and will Bellevue and Burien T/Cs have facilities to do so. It’s also not clear whether ridership will justify increasing the two 560 Route buses per hour to six with S1 Line.
The bottom line is the Sound Transit Board’s approval of S1 Line and the I-405 Stride Bus Rapid Transit project will result in commuters loosing access to transit. That Sound Transit will spend nearly $200 million to allow those who do have access to transfer to 1 Line trains to reach SeaTac.
It's another example of an 18 member Sound Transit Board, each paid more than $200,000, to "direct" a 1600 member staff with a $1 billion budget, continuing to spend hundreds of millions on projects that won’t reduce congestion. All abetted by Seattle Times Traffic Lab.
No comments:
Post a Comment