SeattleTimes Ignores East Link’s Real Problem,

The April 15^th Seattle Times Traffic Lab column, “Flawed light-rail ties on I-90 span can’t be fixed, must be rebuilt”, ignores the most onerous result of delaying the  East Link  Revenue Service Date. The delay from June 2023 to 1Q 2025 of another demonstration, “voter approved” light rail spine extensions, like East Link, won’t reduce congestion into Seattle 

Since 2021 Q1, Sound Transit has refused to release the “Service Delivery Quarterly Service Reports” showing the three Northgate Link stations added a fraction of the 41,000-49,000 predicted.  The June 2023 East Link Revenue Service Date would’ve demonstrated a similar lack of ridership, its failure to reduce  I-90 corridor congestion, and its impact on Line 1 Link operation.

 

Again, East Link ridership will be a fraction of the 50,000 daily riders Sound Transit projected.  Only a fraction of that number live within walking distance of light rail stations or have access to parking near stations. Since 2014 Sound Transit has decided to provide riders by forcing commuters using parking for access to bus routes transfer to East Link for the ride into and out of Seattle.  

 

Thus, even before Sound Transit began East Link construction, they were willing to spend $3.5B to replace I-90 bus routes into Seattle and little to reduce bridge congestion.  The result was a “bus intercept” agreement with Mercer Island to terminate King County Metro and Sound Transit I-90 corridor buses at the island’s light rail station. 

 

The June 2023 Revenue Service Date would've demonstrated many commuters would rather drive into Seattle than endure bus routes requiring they transfer to and from light rail. That islanders disliked being inundated with those transferring and having to share access to light rail at the last east side station.  

It would've also demonstrated Sound Transit’s decision to route East Link trains through DSTT, eventually to Mariner Station near Everett, halved the number of Line 1 Link trains to SeaTac and beyond until they completed the 2^nd tunnel.

 

The bottom line is the East Link delay has allowed Sound Transit to delay demonstrating problems dwarfing those of Northgate Link. They could use the delay to “reconsider” routing East Link trains beyond Chinatown Station.  End the need to halve Line 1 Link trains and reduce the need for a 2^nd tunnel.  Limit East Link operation to meet demand from those living along route through Bellevue to Redmond. Allow I-90 corridor bus routes to continue into Seattle rather than terminate on Mercer Island. 

 

The Seattle Times Traffic Lab needs to "dig into" the real result of the delay and advocate for using the delay to mitigate those problems.