Sound Transit Light Rail? (Seattle, Bellevue: 2013, to rent, credit card)

[DevanXL]

Do you think that the light system will ever expand to the eastside and south sound? Are you satisfied with the progress they have made so far?

[tifoso]

Devan,

Eastside link is supposed to go live in 2023. As for the south end, the line from the Airport to South 200th is planned, funded, and is scheduled to open in 2016. Beyond that the picture is a bit murkier. Voters authorized an extension of the line to So. 272nd street but there's not enough funding to complete it. And while there's been a lot of talk about a further southern extension to S. 320th in Federal Way, but that's neither authorized nor funded.

If you're interested, much more at the following:

Projects & Plans

[RunTheDistance476]

They need to extend it upward towards Mount Lake Terrace/Edmonds

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by DevanXL

Do you think that the light system will ever expand to the eastside and south sound? Are you satisfied with the progress they have made so far?

It'll be expanded eventually, its all in the plans already. In regards to the Eastside, I had hoped that someone would buy the Coke Plant and put the NBA arena over there since the LR runs right by it. But that sounds like a moot point now.

Progress seems to take too long (which I understand, but bleh), but I'm sure it'll all be forgotten the moment its in service.

Originally Posted by wlw2009

They need to extend it upward towards Mount Lake Terrace/Edmonds

Lynnwood Link Extension

[BellevueNative]

Why are so many people so clueless about the Light Rail plans? It's all on the website, and I assure you it IS moving forward. I get all of the emails about East Link. Thursday night is yet another meeting at the Bellevue Hilton to talk about the MI and South Bellevue station designs (beautification and what not). The route has been approved, and the next step is property purchases (supposed to be happening this summer/fall). It is running on track to be complete by 2023.

North Link is approved to go up to Lynnwood right now, and it, too, is scheduled to open in 2023.

[RunTheDistance476]

Originally Posted by BellevueNative

Why are so many people so clueless about the Light Rail plans? It's all on the website, and I assure you it IS moving forward. I get all of the emails about East Link. Thursday night is yet another meeting at the Bellevue Hilton to talk about the MI and South Bellevue station designs (beautification and what not). The route has been approved, and the next step is property purchases (supposed to be happening this summer/fall). It is running on track to be complete by 2023.

North Link is approved to go up to Lynnwood right now, and it, too, is scheduled to open in 2023.

Key word: supposed

I looked on their website for the light link rail going to Mount Lake Terrace. There is a page that states that its estimated completion rate is 2013, but there is an environmental review going on and the plans are not final .

Also, if you look on their project map for the north gate-MLT extension, it just shows a colored in area, not the actual route (because there currently isn't one).

PS: How does the Orca card work exactly? Is it kind of like a credit card that charges you for riding? I saw that they have monthly passes, but does the Orca card work for the bus if you buy the monthly pass amount? So its unlimited rides per day as long as the fare is under what we paid for as the "average fare" at the machine?

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by wlw2009

Key word: supposed

I looked on their website for the light link rail going to Mount Lake Terrace. There is a page that states that its estimated completion rate is 2013, but there is an environmental review going on and the plans are not final .

Also, if you look on their project map for the north gate-MLT extension, it just shows a colored in area, not the actual route (because there currently isn't one).

PS: How does the Orca card work exactly? Is it kind of like a credit card that charges you for riding? I saw that they have monthly passes, but does the Orca card work for the bus if you buy the monthly pass amount? So its unlimited rides per day as long as the fare is under what we paid for as the "average fare" at the machine?

If you looked further, you would have seen that there is already an actual route already set. That Environment review is simply them trying to decide how they would set it up: Location & stations

ORCA card is basically set up for all modes of transportation. You can read how they've set it up here: ORCA: FAQ

[Botev1912]

What about the 405 line Lynnwood to Kirkland and Bellevue? I-405 is even more congested than I-5

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

What about the 405 line Lynnwood to Kirkland and Bellevue? I-405 is even more congested than I-5

I do know that there is a plan floating around (not confirmed or yet set in plan) where they would like to use that rail track line where the Spirit of WA dinner train used to go on (to Woodinville from Renton) and have it eventually go to Snohomish-- which would increase the accessibility aspect. As it is now, the Eastside LR line focuses more on access to Bellevue DT and MS from Seattle.

I think they should also plan for LR from Puyallup to Renton (along 167)... that would help a lot. But of course money's the issue there and it'll be decades before this even becomes a possibility.

[RunTheDistance476]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

If you looked further, you would have seen that there is already an actual route already set. That Environment review is simply them trying to decide how they would set it up: Location & stations

ORCA card is basically set up for all modes of transportation. You can read how they've set it up here: ORCA: FAQ

I stand corrected.