Expediting Bellevue-to-Redmond Light Rail Starter Line

                    

The August 30th Seattle Times Opinion page, "Don't delay opening of the Bellevue to Redmond light rail starter line” raises several questions.  The author, Claudia Balducci, is the chair of Sound Transit’s System Expansion Committee that presumably makes the decisions regarding when to open the “starter line”.  What prompted her to write an opinion page expressing concerns that someone wanted to delay the opening?  

More important is what are the benefits of running light rail from Redmond to South Bellevue or Mercer Island P&R.  Typical of Sound Transit, Balducci, apparently doesn’t recognize commuters don’t like being forced to transfer between transit modes.  Extending the “starter line” beyond Bellevue T/C to South Bellevue or Mercer Island would require Seattle residents transfer to and from bus routes for their commute into and out of downtown Bellevue.  Downtown Bellevue residents would be forced to transfer from Link to and from buses for their commutes into and out of Seattle. 

Terminating the "starter line" at Bellevue T/C, shortening the route by 2.5 miles, would also reduce operating costs.  Sound Transit budgets light rail car operating costs at ~$30 per vehicle revenue mile so the 5-mile round trip would add $150 per car or $600 for 4-car trains.  The bus routes they'd replace cost $13 per mile, or $65 per trip.

Thus, even Sound Transit would hopefully recognize any “Starter Line” should be limited to providing commuters access to transit along Bel-Red corridor from Redmond to downtown Bellevue. The link would have 6 intermediary stations between downtown Redmond and Bellevue T/C. Access from parking would be limited to 1400 stalls at West Marymoor Station and 300 stalls at both Redmond Technology and Bel-Red 130^th Station. Balducci suggests additional access via “additional transit-oriented development, including affordable housing at most light rail stations along the East Link Corridor”. 

However East Link Corridor residents currently have access to transit to Bellevue via the RapidRide B Line.  The route from Redmond Transit Center to Bellevue Transit Center provides access at 11 stations and 16 stops, primarily along 148^th Ave and 8^th Ave into Bellevue.  Access to parking includes 440 stalls at Redmond Transit Center and 300 stalls at both Redmond Technology and Overlake P&R.  RapidRide B Line clearly has far greater access, though it results in 40-minute peak commute times, likely twice those for the Link.

The question remains as to service provided and cost for that service.  The RapidRide B weekday schedule include 90 routes that begins at 4:22 am from the Redmond T/C and ends at 12:30 am from the Bellevue T/C. During peak 4-hour morning and afternoon commutes it runs every 10 minutes increasing to 15 minutes during off peak.  Sound Transit budgets bus operating costs at ~$13.00 per revenue mile so the 17-mile trip from Redmond T/C will cost $221 or ~$20,000 for the 90 round trips.

The Link extension from Bellevue T/C to downtown Redmond essentially doubles East Link operating costs. Sound Transit proposes Link routes every 8 minutes during peak commute though it’s not clear what the remaining schedule will be.  Sound Transit budgets light rail cars as ~$30.00 per revenue mile.  The Link’s somewhat shorter 15-mile trip will cost $450 per car.  Assuming 4-car trains the cost per route is $1800, nine times that of RapidRide B route, presumably limiting the service provided.

The bottom line is the decision to expedite the “Starter Line” exemplifies a Sound Transit Board made up of well-meaning people who don’t understand the basics of effective public transit.  They’ve been allowed to hide the fact that the Northgate Link debut demonstrated they should have never extended light rail beyond the UW Station.  That 4-car light rail trains don’t have the capacity needed to reduce peak hour multilane freeway congestion and cost too much to operate during off-peak commute.  

The East Link delay will delay demonstration Sound Transit should have never confiscated the I-90 Bridge center roadway for light rail.  The “Starter Line” debut will demonstrate the light rail train route along Bel-Red corridor to Redmond won’t’ have the access needed to justify cost of construction and that 4-car light rail trains on the route cost too much to operate for the service needed.  Expediting the route only hastens the discovery.