it’s currently pretty much unpopulated

Exactly, so how does it make any sense at all to put in as many stations as there are on all of MLK. It’s really a lousy collector zone because there’s no other transit connections. Building a P&R on 130th, away from the transit connections on 405 or even 520 is only going to funnel more traffic into the area and a good portion of that is going to be cut through traffic on 134th and 140th.

We have pressing needs and a very limited budget to try and fill those needs. Unnecessary spending on areas where there aren’t any plans save for the Spring District doesn’t make sense. Overlake P&R was supposed to be the end all for TOD and turned out to be a total failure. All it’s done is add 5 minutes to everyone’s bus ride.

Oh, well. I just don’t want Link to cost more than a bus ride between the same two points.

But Bel-Red is the BEST location for TOD on the Eastside. In fact, I think the only other comparable location in King County is Linden between 125th and 160th. Having frequent stations through Bel-Red will allow the development of a linear mixed-user neighborhood of middle density. Fewer stations would have to have higher and more concentrated development around them to generate the ridership needed to support the system.

Bel-Red is “outside” the main Seattle CBD to Bellevue CBD trunk so it can be considered a “collector” zone for the Link. It’s a place where walk to the system instead of transfer rides can be developed. And since it’s currently pretty much unpopulated, there isn’t likely to be NIMBY opposition to densification.

Me too. I think that a streetcar from a dogbone loop between on the NE6th mall and contraflow on the north side of NE4th joined southbound along 105th NE (the little street behind the Art Museum) and northbound on 107th NE (the right of way behind the Bellevue Galleria; it would require taking Blazing Bagels, but it could be rebuild on the second floor) through the TC, share tracks with Link across the freeway and drop down to ground level south of NE 8th, do a hairpin (northbound would go under the Link bridge to get on the “right” side for a non-crossing merge) turn into the railroad ROW. From there it would go south with several stations serving what will certainly be redevelopment of the car lots to just north of SE5th where it would drop down in a tunnel to turn under the rail line and into the north side of Lake Hills Connector, cross to the median at the SE8th intersection (for use of the light) continue to Richards Road, then exit the median through the intersection (again to use the light) and run south just east of Richards Road to the entrance to Bannerwood Park.

There a choice would need to be made. The streetcar could enter the travel lanes on Richards Road since there are few turns between that intersection and SE 26th. Or it could pass through the narrow green belt south of the park. That would make for a very pretty ride for the streetcar patrons, but would disrupt the wildlife habitat.

So assume the car moves into Richards Road to SE26th. It would jog east to pass behind Printed Circuits Assembly and swing east just south of the auto wrecking facilities along SE26th. This area is PRIME for TOD. A branch of the car line could continue down Richards Road to Factoria Mall.

The BCC branch would continue slightly north of eastward past the power switching yard (an excellent thing to have near a street car line…) continue south Pacific Window Coverings, loop around the apartments just west of Bellevue College and then turn south in 142nd Place to the northeast corner of the Eastgate TC with a couple of stops along the College.

From there it would swing due east behind Family Planning and Great Expectations at the edge of the BC property, cross 148th just north of the Toyota dealer, then make a dogbone loop through the business center between 156th and 160th SE.

I don’t think it makes sense to continue to Issaquah, though. There’s nothing between Eastgate and Issaquah that would make a streetcar work.

I also have a difficult time beiliving that they really would loose that much revenue by having the LINK participate in the RFA. It makes it much more difficult to use downtown becuase you can’t just board the next coming vehicle (bus or train) but have to plan ahead somewhat and either buy fare or tag in, or wait for the bus… And since they dont accept paper transfers, and Metro dosent accept link tickets….

We had a post around here about long-term planning a few days back. If we want dense cities that are easy to get around in we should be building affordable systems for those inside the cities – not making it as expensive for a 10-minute ride as a 60 minute ride. The easier and cheaper we make it to live out in the suburbs, the more people will continue to do so.[/rant]

Surely, someone on this thread can aswer this question.