520 report highlights government and community collaboration on Eastside Transit Project

October 2, 2014

Summary

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council unanimously accepted a Community Outreach Report highlighting a successful effort to provide updates and public input for neighborhoods affected by the SR 520 construction work. Three levels of government worked in concert to seamlessly address concerns and ease the impact of constructing transit facilities serving communities east of the SR 520 floating bridge.

Construction along the 520 corridor has deeply impacted nearby neighborhoods and this outreach process successfully maintained transit accessibility and sought to protect these communities from adverse transit impacts due to construction of the project.

“This community outreach effort exemplifies regional collaboration for results,” said King County Council Vice Chair Jane Hague who represents District 6, the communities affected by SR 520 construction. “Every level of government involved in this project rolled up its sleeves to help the communities along 520 adjust to bus route changes and construction work.”

The County Council required a report on community outreach before approving an agreement on transit facilities within the SR-520 right-of-way at Evergreen Point and 92nd Avenue NE. The transit stations are now open to serve customers, though some construction work is still under way.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), King County Metro, Clyde Hill, Medina, Hunts Point and Yarrow Point-- all worked hard to address community needs and those of regional users of these transit facilities. The community even helped name the transit station in a manner that would be most logical to surrounding neighborhoods, the “Clyde Hill / Yarrow Point Transit Station” and agreed on the “Evergreen Point Road Transit Station.”

Naming of the two transit stations was one of the success stories resulting from this five-way partnership on community outreach and thanks to the support of surrounding cities, Bellevue and Kirkland. This work also paved the way for the County Council to unanimously approve an airspace lease for Metro to operate and maintain the transit stations within the SR 520 right-of-way at Evergreen Point Road and 92nd Avenue N.E.

The SR 520 Eastside Transit and HOV Project is the Washington State Department of Transportation’s design-build project for the SR 520 improvements on the Eastside, from the east edge of Lake Washington to SR 202. It is one element of the larger project to replace the Evergreen Point floating bridge and improve the entire SR 520 corridor.

The report accepted by the Councilmembers describes in more detail how King County Transit Division staff worked proactively with WSDOT on design of the transit facilities as well as communication with the communities and their elected officials. Acceptance of the mandated report paves the way for an agreement on King County’s maintenance and operation of transit facilities within the SR-520 right-of-way at Evergreen Point and 92nd Avenue N. E.