2018 FTA REGIONAL COMPETITION: PROJECT SPONSOR FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS

AGENCY: PROJECT: I-405 BRT

Question #1: Please provide more information on how the alignment and station spacing of the new I-405 BRT route compare to the current bus routes serving this corridor.

Answer #1: There are three ST Express Routes that provide service on the south I-405 Corridor: Routes 560, 566, and 567. Routes 566 and 567 are weekday only routes that connect Kent and Auburn to Bellevue and Redmond.

Route 560 provides service from Westwood Village in southwest to Bellevue and is the existing route that most closely aligns with the I-405 BRT representative project. The key differences between the I-405 BRT and Route 560 are as follows.

• The I-405 BRT project is planned to terminate at the Burien Transit Center whereas the 560 continues on to Westwood Village with four intermediate stops along the Ambaum Blvd/16th Ave corridor. • Route 560 provides service to SeaTac Airport as well as the SeaTac Airport Link Station. The I-405 BRT Project will provide service to the Tukwila International Boulevard Link Station, providing connections to SeaTac Airport via Link or Metro RapidRide. • The I-405 BRT project includes a new transit center in South Renton which is planned as the only BRT station between the Tukwila International Boulevard Station and the new station at NE 44th Street. The 560 currently serves the south Renton area with a stop at Rainier Ave & 7th St as well as other locations in Renton, including the Renton Downtown Transit Center and The Landing shopping center. The City of Renton has expressed a strong desire to close the Renton Downtown Transit Center and utilize the new South Renton Transit Center as the primary transit hub. • There is one I-405 BRT station planned between South Renton and the at NE 44th Street. This new inline station is being constructed as part of WSDOT’s I-405 Renton to Bellevue Express Toll Lanes and Widening project. The 560 currently serves the Kennydale (30th Ave) and Newport Hills (Lake Blvd) freeway ramp stations on I-405. • The BRT route is planned to terminate at the Bellevue Transit Center whereas the 560 includes a second stop in Bellevue at 105th Ave & 2nd St.

Sound Transit Service Planning will begin planning the restructuring of ST Express routes in the areas that will be served by the I-405 BRT in 2018. This is the same process that is followed with the opening of a new corridor to determine how best to provide connecting service to the high capacity transit network. This includes an evaluation of how to connect to areas that currently have ST Express service but will not be directly served by the rapid transit line such as the portion of the Route 560 between Burien and Westwood Village. This process will incorporate current and future plans for service.

Question #2: Please provide more information on the other project elements that will be constructed as part of this project, including interchange improvements and on-ramps near new stations.

Answer #2: The ST3 representative project includes the following elements. Sound Transit will be refining the BRT system elements during project development.

• BRT station pair at the existing Lynnwood Transit Center (future Lynnwood City Center light rail station) • BRT station pair at the Canyon Park Park-and-Ride using outside flyer stops on SR 527 ramps • BRT station pair in the vicinity of NE 195th Street using outside flyer stops on NE 195th Street ramps • BRT station pair at the existing Brickyard Park-and-Ride using outside flyer stops on NE 160th Street ramps • BRT inline station pair at Totem Lake using existing NE 128th Street direct access ramps • 600-stall parking garage constructed at Kingsgate Park-and-Ride (removal of 200 surface stalls, 400 net new stalls) • BRT inline station pair at an improved NE 85th Street interchange with direct access ramps in Kirkland with pedestrian access to bus stops along both directions of NE 85th Street • Two-way bus-only lanes on NE 85th Street in Kirkland between 6th Street and 120th Avenue NE for local transit service • BRT station pair at Bellevue Transit Center • BRT inline station pair at an improved NE 44th Street interchange with direct access ramps in Renton • New 200-stall surface park-and-ride lot at NE 44th Street Station in Renton on the west side of I-405 • BRT station pair at South Renton at a new transit center with bus and a new 700-stall garage • BRT station pair at the Tukwila International Boulevard Link Station • BRT station pair at Burien Transit Center • Bus-only lanes and transit signal priority on S. 154th Street from the Tukwila International Boulevard Station to the SR 518 on and off-ramps, on SR 518 from S. 154th Street to terminus of SR 518 at SR 509, and on SW 148th Street from SR 509 to the Burien Transit Center • BRT vehicle fleet purchase of 34 coaches (3-door articulated coaches) • 1 percent for art per Sound Transit policy • Non-motorized access facilities (bicycle/pedestrian) • Bus operations and maintenance facility along the I-405 BRT/SR 522 corridors

Sound Transit is partnering with WSDOT to design and construct interchange improvements at the NE 85th Street and NE 44th Street interchanges as well as other elements within the WSDOT right-of-way.

Question #3: Please provide additional information on the routing of the buses to and from the stations – i.e., are there flyer stops or will there be exiting and reentering of the interstate at various locations.

Answer #3: I-405 BRT service will be provided between Lynnwood and Burien along the I-405 and SR 518 corridors. The following routing was assumed in the ST3 representative project. Sound Transit will be evaluating BRT routing during the project refinements phase for transit speed and reliability. Sound Transit may identify additional improvements to enhance BRT service along I-405 and SR 518 during project development.

• BRT would operate in general purpose lanes on I-5 between the Lynnwood Transit Center and I-405. • BRT would operate in the general purpose lanes on I-405 between I-5 and Brickyard (using shoulder bus lanes in the southbound direction in two segments). • Leaving Brickyard, BRT would transition from general purpose lanes to I-405 express toll lanes, continuing to the Totem Lake freeway station. • BRT would operate in I-405 express toll lanes between Totem Lake and South Renton, accessing the Bellevue Transit Center from the NE 6th Street HOV direct access ramp and serving NE 44th Street from inline station stops on the direct access ramps. • To access the South Renton Transit Center, buses would exist out of the express toll lanes and use the general purpose off-ramp to Rainier Avenue. • From the South Renton Transit Center, southbound buses would enter I-405 on the Rainier Avenue on-ramp and enter the inside HOV lanes toward I-5. Close to I-5, the buses would continue to SR 518 to Tukwila International Boulevard Link Station using general purpose lanes. • The Tukwila International Boulevard Link Station to the Burien Transit Center would include new bus-only lanes on SR 518.