Light Rail | Center-running option out for Bellevue’s 112th Avenue

The chance that Sound Transit builds light rail along the center of 112th Avenue appears to be dead following a meeting of the agency's capital committee Thursday. The group agreed to include only side-running alternatives in a resolution that the Sound Transit board will use for naming its preferred alignment July 22. All west- and east-running options are still on the table, but public support has shifted almost unanimously in favor of the western routes. A group of condo owners and influential businesses from 112th Avenue joined forces last week to support the west-running options. The condo owners would lose their homes with a western alignment, but they've said they prefer buyouts over having to deal with the impacts of light rail across the street. Neighbors in the adjoining Surrey Downs community face the same plight from impacts, but Sound Transit isn't proposing buyouts for most of them, since few of their homes will be displaced. Surrey Downs residents are still rallying around the B7 route that would protect their neighborhood by running light rail through Southwest Bellevue along the abandoned Burlington Northern rail corridor west of I-90.

By Joshua Adam Hicks • July 16, 2010 5:56 pm
This Sound Transit rendering shows the 112th Avenue alignment that the Sound Transit board chose as its preferred option Thursday. The trains would cross to the west side of 112th Avenue NE
This Sound Transit rendering shows the 112th Avenue alignment that the Sound Transit board chose as its preferred option Thursday. The trains would cross to the west side of 112th Avenue NE

The option of building light rail along the center of 112th Avenue appears to be dead following a meeting of Sound Transit’s capital committee Thursday.

The group agreed to include only side-running alternatives in a resolution that the Sound Transit board will use for naming its preferred alignment July 22.

All west- and east-running options are still on the table, but public support has shifted almost unanimously in favor of the western routes.

A group of condo owners and influential businesses from 112th Avenue joined forces last week to support the west-running options. The Bellevue Club, Red Lion Hotel, and Hilton Hotel are part of that alliance.

The east-running alternatives would take out tennis courts and a swimming pool at the Bellevue Club, as well as parking at the Red Lion and Hilton hotels.

The condo owners would lose their homes with a western alignment, but they’ve said they prefer buyouts over having to deal with the impacts of light rail across the street.

Neighbors in the adjoining Surrey Downs community face the same plight from impacts, but Sound Transit isn’t proposing buyouts for most of them, since few of their homes will be displaced.

Surrey Downs residents are still rallying around the B7 route that would protect their neighborhood by running light rail through Southwest Bellevue along the abandoned Burlington Northern rail corridor west of I-90.

The new alliance of businesses and homeowners support B7 as well, but its members are angling for the best possible outcome with Sound Transit having picked 112th Avenue for its preferred alignment.

“We’re not opposed to B7, but if that’s not an option, we have to act in the best interest of our homeowners,” said Scott Rodgers, president of Carriage Place Condominiums homeowners association.

Surrey Downs residents have so far refused to make a choice between the lesser of evils for 112th Avenue, instead opting to push harder for B7. The Bellevue City Council voted 4-3 in favor of that alignment in March.

The Sound Transit capital committee interrupted testimony on behalf of B7 Thursday, saying the comments were irrelevant to their discussion of 112th Avenue alignments.

There has been virtually no support for any of the center-running options for 112th Avenue.

All options for 112th Avenue fall within the city’s cost criteria for sharing the expense of a downtown tunnel to protect its central business district.

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Light rail options: 112th Avenue