Sound Transit 3: the Regional Transit System Plan for Central Puget Sound INTRODUCTION
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June 2016 THE REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN for Central Puget Sound TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Building on Success .............................................................................................................................................................................2 The Sound Transit 3 Plan .....................................................................................................................................................................4 Link Light Rail .................................................................................................................................................................................4 North Corridor .........................................................................................................................................................................4 Central Corridor.......................................................................................................................................................................4 East Corridor ...........................................................................................................................................................................5 South Corridor .........................................................................................................................................................................5 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) ...................................................................................................................................................................5 ST Express Bus Service ....................................................................................................................................................................6 Sounder Commuter Rail ..................................................................................................................................................................7 Planning for the Future ...................................................................................................................................................................7 Programs and Policies .........................................................................................................................................................................8 System Access ................................................................................................................................................................................8 Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).............................................................................................................................................10 Innovation ....................................................................................................................................................................................12 Sustainability ................................................................................................................................................................................12 Sales and Use Tax Offset Fee to Support Educational Outcomes in the Sound Transit District .........................................................13 Putting the System in Place ..............................................................................................................................................................14 Project Delivery – Implementing the Plan .....................................................................................................................................14 Schedule Accountability Tools .......................................................................................................................................................15 The Sound Transit District .................................................................................................................................................................16 Annexations .................................................................................................................................................................................16 Extending Service Outside the Sound Transit Boundaries ..............................................................................................................16 Benefits of the Plan ...........................................................................................................................................................................17 Transportation Benefits .................................................................................................................................................................17 System Reliability .........................................................................................................................................................................17 Highway Reliability .......................................................................................................................................................................18 Transit Reliability ..........................................................................................................................................................................18 Link Light Rail Capacity .................................................................................................................................................................19 Travel Time Savings ......................................................................................................................................................................20 Combined Regional Rail Access ....................................................................................................................................................21 Social, Mobility, Environmental and Economic Benefits .................................................................................................................22 Paying for the System .......................................................................................................................................................................23 Maps Sound Transit 3 Regional Transit System Plan Map .........................................................................................................................3 Sound Transit District Map ............................................................................................................................................................16 Combined Regional Rail Access ....................................................................................................................................................21 Appendices A. Detailed Description of Facilities and Estimated Costs B. Financial Policies C. Benefits, Costs, Revenues, Capacity, Reliability and Performance Characteristics D. Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts; Integration with Regional Land Use; Transit-Oriented Development More information at: SOUNDTRANSIT3.ORG Adopted by Sound Transit Board, 06/23/2016 Sound Transit plans, builds and operates regional transit systems and services to improve mobility for central Puget Sound. Sound Transit 3: The Regional Transit System Plan for Central Puget Sound INTRODUCTION The Sound Transit 3 (ST3) System Plan will improve and expand the regional mass transit system by connecting the major cities in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties with light rail, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), express bus and commuter rail. Sound Transit’s mission is to plan, build and operate mass transit service throughout central Puget Sound. The initial phase of the regional mass transit system, called Sound Move, was approved by voters in 1996. The second phase, Sound Transit 2 (ST2), was approved in 2008. Under these plans, the regional light rail system will more than double in length from just over 20 miles today to over 50 miles by 2023. Service is also increasing on the 83-mile Sounder commuter rail line from Everett to Lakewood, and ST Express buses continue to serve major highways in the region. Even with these improvements, transportation continues to be one of the area’s biggest challenges with approximately 800,000 more people expected to call this region home by 2040. Also by 2040 the region will support 800,000 new jobs. In the past year alone, the region’s population grew by 52,000 people — making daily commutes longer and more congested. In response, Sound Transit 3 provides the next phase of high-capacity transit improvements for central Puget Sound. With this plan, the light rail system will more than double again to 116 miles with over 80 stations. Light rail will expand north to Everett, south to Federal Way and Tacoma, east to downtown Redmond, south Kirkland, and Issaquah and west to Ballard and West Seattle. Sound Transit 3 will also invest in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in two corridors: connecting Lynnwood to Burien via I-405 and SR 518 to serve Eastside cities as well as Tukwila and Burien; and on SR 522 between Bothell and Shoreline with service extending to Woodinville and connecting to Link light rail via Northeast 145th Street. The plan also includes a program to improve bus speed and reliability in specific corridors. Finally, the plan will expand Sounder commuter rail,