Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger argues an east-west light rail line is crucial to connect the city of Bellevue to Seattle, while opponents favor cheaper express buses to move people in the Eastside's Interstate 405 (I-405) corridor.
The $17.9 billion measure would offer 34 miles of light-rail tracks reaching Lynnwood, Overlake and Federal Way by 2023. It would also almost double Sounder commuter-train capacity between Pierce County and Seattle's King Street Station by 2015.
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Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger is asking his city of Bellevue if they want to support the Sound Transit’s $17.9 billion Proposition 1 on the November 4 ballot. In Mayor Degginger’s mind, either Bellevue will link up to the light-rail corridor being constructed through Seattle or it will be left off the track.
What's the Fuss?
Traffic is bad in the Seattle area. Gas prices are worse. And large companies like Microsoft have thousands of people traveling the congested I-405 corridor every day. I-405 has the worst traffic congestion in the area; it can take upwards of one hour and twenty minutes to drive 20 miles on I-405 during peak commuting times. Some citizens feel the light-rail solution is too expensive from a taxes standpoint. Others see it as the only solution to the traffic problem on I-405.
Pros
- The promise is to deliver light-rail to Lynnwood and north Federal Way by 2023, as well as the east-west line from Seattle to Overlake (near Microsoft headquarters) by 2021. A modest bus increase would start next year, while Sounder commuter trains would almost double their capacity by 2015 between Pierce County and Seattle. This could help traffic congestion.
- Seattle’s Mayor Greg Nickels is on the pro side; he says “The proposed light rail system is capable of serving as many users as local freeways, as population grows, streets will eventually become too crowded for a bus-based system to function.”
Cons
- Proposition 1 would boost Sound Transit's sales tax by a nickel per $10 purchase, or $125 for an average household next year, for at least 30 years. Businesses that pay sales taxes could likely pass some costs to consumers.
- Opponents argue that the rail plan ignores the much needed north-south service along the I-405 corridor.
- The Sound Transit’s history of cost overruns and delays. Case in point: A $2.7 billion rail line from downtown to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will open late next year. The Rail will not reach Capitol Hill and the University of Washington until 2016, a decade late.
- Others say the trains won't be full, because the vast majority of people prefer to drive. By the time the rail is built, a large number of commuters will have converted to plug-in electric hybrid cars or other cleaner fuels.
Where it Stands
The local press has pointed out that an Eastside bus-rapid transit system, including stations, could be built for about $1 billion. If the lines operate on high-occupancy lanes on I-405, no tax increase would be needed, as Sound Transit would collect enough money through existing taxes.
In addition, local developers and businesses (including Microsoft) have contributed a combined total of $123,000 so far to support progress of a plan that appears better than no plan at all. Overall, Eastside supporters are counting on local, young Barack Obama supporters to put the measure over the top, in a high-turnout presidential year.