I’m in Japan so I can’t call you back, but the fastest way to get to or from JFK is via the Long Island Railroad to Jaimaca Queens. I learned that from Frank, who’s full of useful information like that. That’s still true if you’re coming from Brooklyn. It’s also fun to say “Jamaica Queens”. Have fun on your trip, and say ‘hi’ to your mother for me.
Martin had a fantastic post this morning about the I-90 Two Way Transit and HOV project, also known as Alternative R-8A, or just R8A. I want to add to this some history, and exactly why this is a key issue for transit.
In 1976, a Memorandum of Agreement was reached to build I-90. There are some gems in here, but I think the key is that I-90 was originally intended to be converted to rail:
2. The I-90 facility shall be designed and constructed so that conversion of all or part of the transit roadway to fixed guideway is possible.
In 2004, the same stakeholders partnered with Sound Transit to amend the 1976 Memorandum of Agreement. This amendment (and it’s really worth a read, it’s pretty short) established that:
“…all parties agree that the ultimate configuration for I-90 between Bellevue, Mercer Island and Seattle should be defined as High Capacity Transit in the center roadway and HOV lanes in the outer roadways; and further agree that High Capacity Transit for this purpose is defined as a transit system operating in dedicated right-of-way such as light rail, monorail, or a substantially equivalent system;”
Furthermore, they liked one particular alternative for reaching this configuration:
“…all parties agree that building HOV lanes on the outer roadways as identified as Alternative R-8A as set forth in the May 21, 2004 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) prepared for the project, is an essential first step toward achieving the ultimate configuration;”
The final resolution was crystal clear, we need to put HOV lanes on the outer roadway ASAP:
1. Alternative R-8A with High Capacity Transit deployed in the center lanes is the ultimate configuration for I-90 in this segment;
2. Construction of R-8A should occur as soon as possible as a first step to the ultimate configuration;
3. Upon completion of R-8A, move as quickly as possible to construct High Capacity Transit in the center lanes;
4. Commit to the earliest possible conversion of center roadway to two-way High Capacity Transit operation based on outcome of studies and funding approvals.
WSDOT has a fantastic project page where you can see the details of R8A and the schedule WSDOT committed to – with construction ending in 2014. Martin noted that Sound Transit needs this to happen before they can build East Link – so anything the state does to alter this schedule will directly impact our ability to build light rail to the eastside.
So why am I writing this? Because the response we’ve gotten demands some scrutiny. Last time I wrote about this project, it was to point out that Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1978 (PDF), the bill to distribute transportation stimulus funds, reduced funding for R8A Stage 1 (page 42). When I pointed out that Representative Judy Clibborn’s amendment removed money for R8A, Representative Eddy commented with (in part):
I am advised that the language in question reflects an accounting change. “We revised the amount for the I-90 two-way transit stage 1 project down by $2.8 M in the 2009 supplemental budget. This is due to project savings in stage 1. These savings are being transferred to the budget item for stages 2 & 3 of the project. Unfortunately the proviso does not mention this other budget item.”
She goes on to report that the total budget for stages 2 & 3 is being increased by $3.27 M, beyonjd the $2.8 reduction in ‘09 to recognize increased inflation.
A commenter named Allison emailed Clibborn and got this response:
The I-90 two-way transit project is a three-stage project. The first stage was completed $2.8 million under budget, so the savings on stage one have been transferred to stages two and three. – Judy Clibborn
In fact, ESHB 1978 did mention R8A stages 2 and 3 – it didn’t move money from stage 1 to them, it removed another $1.8 million from them (page 47).
A staffer in Olympia tells me the Senate Transportation Committee plans to release their 2009-2011 budget tomorrow at 12:30 pm. Do keep in mind that this is just Senate Transportation, not the House, but it will give us a good idea as to whether these promises will be kept. Tomorrow I’ll look at what’s in the budget, and we’ll figure out what’s next. See you then.
[Update: This post initially stated that tolls on I-90 would only take effect if the speeds on I-90 fell by half during the first three months of tolling SR-520. In fact, tolls on I-90 would take effect if speeds on I-405 fell by half during any three consecutive months after tolling begins on SR-520. I’ve corrected the text below.]
State Representatives Ross Hunter, Deb Ebby, and Marko Liias introduced HB 2319 Monday. The bill would allow tolls to be applied to both the SR-520 span across Lake Washington and the I-90 span. The toll revenue would go to construction of a new, six-lane 520 bridge and the highway work on both sides of the water.
Tolls would only apply to the I-90 span if speeds in the I-405 corridor fall by half for a period of three months compared to the previous year or if the SR-520 tolls are raising less than 80% of the expected revenue. Tolls would be capped at $2.90 (2007 dollars) annually adjusted for inflation and would be variable based on the time of a day, a form of congestion pricing.
The SR-520 toll would take effect on January 1, 2010. By implementing variable tolling before the end of 2010, the region would receive $154mn in Federal grant money.
The bill is being offered as an alternative to HB 2211. That bill, offered by Rep. Clibborn who is chair of the transportation committee and represents Mercer Island, would not toll the I-90 span under any circumstances.
This blog has long asserted that it is necessary to toll both spans for to get the maximum amount of funding for the 520 bridge, to make sure that congestion isn’t simply redirected to I-90, and because we support the concept of congestion pricing as perhaps the singular model to reduce congestion. I-90 tolls shouldn’t be optional, they should be a feature of this bill. But this bill is much better than Clibborn’s version.
The most disappointing thing about the PSRC stimulus list is the failure to include any funds for the completion of the I-90 two-way HOV project. Under current state budget plans, the last tranche of funding ($24m) is programmed for the 2017-2019 biennium. Since it will take approximately 5 years from the completion of this to opening day of the Seattle-Bellevue segment, this could potentially delay its opening from 2020 to 2024.
The project consists of three stages:
Stage 1 extended the westbound HOV lane from Bellevue to mid-Mercer Island and was completed last October.
Stage 2 would upgrade the same stretch in the eastbound direction, and it’s here that the state’s contribution of $24m is required.
Stage 3 is to complete the HOV lane into Seattle in both directions, and was fully funded by Proposition 1 last year.
Of the $188m total cost for all three stages, the state and ST agreed that the split would be $51m and $138m, respectively. Until 2007, the last chunk of state funding was scheduled for 2009 (pdf, page 20), so that Stage 2 could be complete by 2012. In early 2007, however, ESHB 1094, implemented a “LEAP” plan that pushed back the $24m (pdf, page 15) to beyond 2017.
ESHB 1094 was sponsored in the House by Rep. Judy Clibborn* (D-Mercer Island), Rep. Fred Jarrett (D-Mercer Island), and Rep. Al O’Brien (D-Bothell). O’Brien was probably interested in an interchange in Bothell, but it’s clear what the big impact in Clibborn and Jarrett’s district was.
Rep. Jarrett, incidentally, is running for King County Executive this year.
It seems ridiculous to hold up a $4 billion project for want of $24 million, so one has to hope that the relevant parties will find a way. It may be that this delay is an opening bid by the state, since there’s a pending negotiation over whether or not WSDOT will charge Sound Transit rent for the express lanes.
On the other hand, that assumes good faith on the part of both parties. If the legislature wants to, it can certainly create enough obstacles to prevent Sound Transit from ever using the I-90 right of way.
As the Sound Transit Citizen Oversight Panel put it in their report:
Very significant schedule and budget risks continue for the I-90 Two-Way Transit Stages 2 and 3 projects. Sound Transit has funded its share of the projects as well as the entire current estimate for Stage 3, contingent on WSDOT’s commitment to work collaboratively to manage scope. But WSDOT’s $24 million contribution to Stage 2 is currently budgeted for the 2017-2019 biennium. Funding authorization by the state is urgently needed to be moved to the current biennium as these projects are on the critical path for East Link over the I-90 bridge and they are essential to provide needed capacity during the 520 bridge reconstruction. Also, we want to highlight that WSDOT and Sound Transit must work earnestly and cooperatively over the next year to resolve the terms of the agreement for the conversion of the I-90 center roadway for use by East Link to avoid further significant risks to the I-90 Stage 2 and 3 projects and East Link light rail.
*UPDATE: A source in Olympia points out to me via email that as Transportation Chair, it’s customary for Rep. Clibborn to sponsor the transportation budget. That isn’t to say that she was unaware, opposed, or somehow not responsible for the fate of a project in her district.
Another Link testing video, this time from a rider’s perspective, in (I think, I’m writing from Japan) Westlake station the quality isn’t as good as Oran’s, the problem may be youtube’s, but the video is still awesome:
Sound Transit contractors recently began demolishing the buildings that current occupy the area where construction for the University Link projected will be staged. While it may not look like a lot was recycled from the picture above, take note from the Sound Transit CEO:
I wanted to pass along an update on our ongoing recycling efforts at the future site of the Capitol Hill light rail station.
As buildings are being removed to make way for the station, we’ve been working very hard to keep material out of the landfill. So, for example, before demolition salvage teams removed potential re-salable items, such as doors, light fixtures and railings. About 75 percent of the remaining building material such as bricks and wood will be recycled.
A while back, Sound Transit hosted a plant salvage event for neighbors to adopt some of the smaller trees or shrubs and give them a new home in their yard. Our contractor is working with a specialist to determine if any of the larger trees can be moved and used in other projects.
And even the tree stumps are being put to good use. The root-balls and stumps from the trees that are too large to be transplanted are being donated for use in salmon habitat restoration projects in the Puget Sound region.
Related to the project, the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog has posted word of a potential new cross-walk at Olive Way & Boylston. That is definitely needed.
(Picture from Slog.)
The West Seattle Water Taxi is coming back April 5, rebranded as the King County Water Taxi. There are festivities and free rides that day.
I’m not wild about passenger ferries vs. buses in general, but the transportation situation in West Seattle is pretty grim and I’m not sure I begrudge them this amenity.
H/T: Oran.
Once again, our Canadian friends to the North are continuing an aggressive push in Vancouver’s rail infrastructure.
Under a joint program, TransLink will upgrade infrastructure on its SkyTrain automated light-rail system, as well as several stations along the Expo Line, including the Main Street and Scott Road stations, by lengthening platforms and improving pedestrian circulation and access, and access for passengers with disabilities. The agency also will upgrade the Waterfront and Mission stations on its West Coast Express commuter-rail line to accommodate longer cars and improve passenger access.
Mind you, West Coast Express can already accommodate 10 car trains. The extensions will allow train lengths of 12 cars, like Toronto’s GO Transit.
Several of the Canadian railroads, including BNSF, will be performing major track rehabilitation on the ROW between the Canadian boarder and various points in the lower mainlines. Amtrak will benefit directly from this project with an estimated time savings of 10 minutes with the increased train speed. The trackwork portion is expected to be done in 2010 but after the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
The New York City Subway opened a new South Ferry Station. Gordon Werner sent along photos of the last day of service on the old station, and the first day of service at the new one. The old South Ferry Station was sort of infamous for its short platform that only allowed the first five cars’ doors to open.
The $530 million station opened last week after a two month delay caused by an engineeing mistake that caused the gap between trains and the platforms to be up to four inches. Even after opening, the station had a couple of glitches: a water main broke and there were signal problems.
I’m hoping Link’s opening goes better…
Is anyone else encouraged by the Federal Secretary of Transportation’s Blog? Yeah, it’s named “fast lane” but most of the posts are about liveable, walkable communities, high-speed rail, and a smart partnership between the HUD and DOT. The Feds may finally get it: transportation planning and land use are really two sides of the same coin. And nothing will get that message to Metropolitan Planning Organizations quicker than federal grant money. Let’s see Mr. LaHood deliver!