ST Should Terminate East Link at Chinatown Station

The previous post opined Sound Transit needs to do more to “justify’ transit projects.  Assure the result of a transit project was a “product” that reduced congestion. At this point it’s too late to point out the result of the East Link project, an 1-90 bridge center roadway confiscated by light rail, is a product that won’t reduce congestion.  

 

This post details Sound Transit exacerbates that failure by extending East Link light rail train routes as Link Line 2 through the DSTT and eventually to the Mariner P&R.   The result will be a “product” whose operation will share Line 1’s DSTT train capacity and incur problems merging with Central Link trains to UW and beyond.  

 

For example, Link Line 1 trains currently run northbound every 8 minutes from Angle Lake to Northgate from 5:30 to 8:46 am.  When East Link trains begin operation as part of Line 2 will Sound Transit replace half of the Line 1 trains, with both lines every 16 minutes, or double the frequency with both every 8 minutes?   A “product” with 4 minutes between trains and capacity that far exceeds the number of I-5 commuters with access to transit and operating costs that dwarf fare box revenue.   That will also be difficult to safely merge, with trains returning from different route lengths through DSTT with the 4-minute intervals.

 

Sound Transit could avoid both problems by terminating East Link at the International District Chinatown Station.  Those wishing to go further can transfer to a Line 1 train.  Central Link commuters won’t have to share whatever the DSTT train capacity when East Link debuts. 

 

Separating East Link also allows scheduling its operation with number of light rail cars in each train and their frequency adjusted to meet east side demands rather than what’s needed along Line 2 to Northgate and beyond.   Doing so has significant cost savings with light rail trains cars costing ~$30 per vehicle mile.  The 16-mile East Link and Redmond extensions cost nearly $1000 for each car-round-trip.  Limiting number of cars would enable more frequent trains, especially during off-peak operation.

 

Limiting operation to meet Bellevue transit requirements would also end Sound Transit need to use East Link to replace I-90 corridor buses for riders.  It would end the need for Sound Transit to insist on a “Bus Intercept” agreement with Mercer Island, despite nearly universal islander objections.   I-90 corridor transit riders would no longer be forced to endure the hassle of transferring to and from light rail for their commute into and out of Seattle.  Mercer Island would no longer be forced to share its access to light rail or have their station inundated with thousands of transferees. 

 

The bottom line is, terminating East Link at International District/Chinatown Station, ends a “project” that spends billions for a “product” that reduces transit capacity into Seattle and increases I-90 corridor congestion.  The following from an October 5^threlease of, “Agency Progress Report: Capital Progress, August 2022” facilitates doing so: 

The East Link critical path this month continues to run through track remediation on E130, which is holding up E750 access to complete OCS and signal installation. The time required to complete all repairs is still being determined, which may result in an even longer path to completion. Other East Link Civil Contracts continue to be closely monitored for potential impacts to the E750 schedule. 

Sound Transit should use the delay to implement terminating East Link at International District/Chinatown Station and mitigate the East Link debacle.