The April 29 Bellevue Reporter article says from I-90, East Link will “turn north in Bellevue near Mercer Slough.” A more apt description is it will turn north into Mercer Slough Nature Park, entering a two-and-a-half story train station the length of a football field, including a five-story parking garage.

From there, train tracks will descend into a trench within the park, paralleling Bellevue Way and the Winters House, then to 112th Avenue Southeast coming up to street level, crossing 112th Avenue Southeast and through Bellefield Residential Park, Surrey Downs neighborhood, Surrey Downs Park and all the condominiums along 112th Avenue Southeast. A total of 75 homes will be condemned.

The crossing of 112th at Southeast 15th will require the existing boulevard to be elevated over the rail line rising 25 feet in the air. There will be over half a mile of train tracks in the Mercer Slough Nature Park and the width required for its five- to seven-year construction period will be on average 90 feet wide, destroying over 1,300 mature trees and taking 29.74 acres.

And, Bellevue says Sound Transit does not have to comply with Bellevue noise code.

Geoffrey Bidwell

Bellevue