Lids atop Highway 520 and the inclusion of pedestrian paths and bike trails are drawing strong community support as the state works on plans for a new bridge across Lake Washington.
According to Daniel Babuca, the project engineer for the 520 Project Team, public consensus towards the project has been positive.
“Everyone seems generally supportive in regards to the acceleration of the Eastside projects,” Babuca said. “The public wants to get the congestion out of the way earlier then later.”
The Washington State Department of Transportation showed the progress on the SR 520 Eastside Transit and HOV Project at a recent meeting at the North Bellevue Community Center. Community members were asked to comment on the environmental review and designs concepts for the project.
In 2006, a Design Advisory Group of 22 members was formed, representing all of the neighborhoods along the corridor.
The group developed a corridor theme, Naturalistic Contemporary, and set goals and principals for various segments of the corridor. The corridor theme was then crafted into a vision statement and design palettes were created outlining the conceptual design of the lids, their function, and the programming for how the lids would be developed.
Working closely with the Eastside jurisdictions and bicycle advisory groups this past year, the WSDOT completed a Corridor Concept Plan.
The WSDOT now is examining ways to deliver the project while minimizing effects on the community and natural surroundings. Part of that involves paying close attention to storm-water treatment and fish habitat.
“Today, all the water that is generated off the roadways runs into ditches and streams eventually running into Lake Washington,” Babuca explained. “Our current plan is to build storm-water management systems into the project to capture, detain, and treat the water before it goes into Lake Washington.”
As part of the environmental review process for the Eastside Transit and HOV Project environmental assessment, the project team will examine public comments, prepare technical studies and evaluate environmental effects and mitigation measures.
“We have done a lot more work on the stormwater management and fish passage barrier issues and so now we have kicked off the next phase in the engagement,” Babuca said. “We are reaching out to the people in the community and the jurisdictions to get feedback and to listen to what people on the Eastside want to see in the final project.”
In early 2009, the project team plans to come together and make finalized decisions to complete the preliminary designs.
“We want the public to get involved because this is a community-based project,” Babuca said, adding that the state wants to capture the look and feel of the Eastside into the final design.
The Eastside Transit and HOV Project is one of four projects within the SR 520 Corridor program that is currently in the works. The Eastside Transit and HOV Project will produce a new HOV system from Lake Washington to SR 202 and improve transit stops.
Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in 2010.
For more information visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/SR520Bridge or 1-888-520-NEWS.
Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@bellevuereporter.com or at 425-453-4602.
