East Link Starter Line “Benefits"

This blog began as an attempt to prevent Sound Transit from routing light rail trains across I-90 bridge to Bellevue.  Confiscating the bridge center roadway precluded implementing 2-way bus-only routes with 10 times light rail capacity, 10 years sooner, at 1/10^th the cost.  Sound Transit exacerbated the problem by routing the trains through DSTT to UW and beyond, halving the number of trains to SeaTac, and using the trains to replace bus routes into Seattle.

It has always considered Sound Transit’s projected 43,000 to 52,000 ridership by 2026 was beyond optimistic to delusional.  (Sound Transit has yet to release quarterly service delivery performance reports showing riders added by the Northgate Link’s 3 stations were a fraction of their 41,000-49,000 projected.)  The East Link debut in June 2023 was eagerly awaited for vindication.

Thus, an April 28, 2022 Seattle Times Traffic Lab article “Sound Transit light rail to the Eastside is running late” was a “disappointment.” The problem being, “remediation was needed for non-conforming direct track fixation plinths,” Sound Transit's version of the need to redo track attachments. 

 

A December 8^th post by Sound Transit CEO Julie Timms, “An update on Link projects in construction” detailed the need to redo the track attachments delayed East Link until Spring 2025.  That the delay prompted the option of an East Link Starter Line from Redmond Technology Center to South Bellevue P&R.  The update stipulated "No bus service changes assumed" so ST550 from South Bellevue P&R into Bellevue T/C would continue.  Headways were 10 minutes during peak and off-peak operation and 15 minutes early/late.

 

Apparently Sound Transit recognized returning Bellevue commuters were “unlikely” to transfer from ST550 to the Starter Line for the commute into Bellevue so ST550 was terminated at South Bellevue. The result was the January 26^th Sound Board approval of the following:

Resolution No. R2023-06: Authorizing the expenditure of up to $6 million from the East Link project budget, to be funded by the East King subarea, to complete the work necessary to further develop the option to open a portion of East Link Extension from South Bellevue Station to Redmond Technology Station (East Link Starter Line) in Spring 2024. This work will inform a final action to be considered by the Board in Fall 2023 on whether to open the East Link Starter Line for revenue 

It's not clear what work is included in the $6 million expenditure Starter Line needed to “inform a final action”.  This post details there are some Starter Line “benefits”, though not what Sound Transit is expecting.  

 

One "benefit" will be the Starter Line debut will demonstrate East Link’s failure to provide the access to attract the number of commuters needed to justify Sound Transit plans for Line 2 Link to Redmond.   That, except for parking at Redmond T/C and Bel-Red/130^thstation, access is limited to those within walking distance of 5 stations along route. A fraction of the number of stations along Rabid Route B into Bellevue and on ST550 in Bellevue and along route to South Bellevue. Many of those with access to Starter Line will be dissuaded by the need to transfer to and from buses at South Bellevue.

 

The Starter Line debut will also demonstrate the effect of $30 per-mile, light-rail-car operating cost.  The 7-mile line, 14-mile trip costs $420 per car or $1680 for 4-car trains.  The schedule for 10-minute headways for peak and off-peak requires 96 trips a day, costs over $160,000 daily, and dwarfs any potential fare box revenue.  A precursor to double that cost when the 14-mile Line 2 Link from Redmond to Chinatown when East Link begins. 

The Starter Line will demonstrate those costs could be reduced by limiting trains to 2 cars and still meet demand along route. Two-car trains would reduce the noise levels and could allow higher speeds along route.  Two car trains would also reduce loads on I-90 Bridge, potentially ending the need to redo track attachments. I-90 corridor transit bus riders would no longer be forced to transfer to light rail for the commute into and out of Seattle.

 

The bottom line is the Starter Line debut could “benefit” the entire area by demonstrating the need to “decouple” East Link from Line 2 Link by terminating it at Chinatown Station. Doing so will allow Sound Transit to change the number of cars in each East Link train, schedule operation to meet Bellevue demand, and  double trains to Angel Lake.  The Spring 2024 Start Line debut "benefits" by allowing time to do so.