February 26, 2018

ST picks firms to plan two BRT corridors that will cost $1.3B

Images from Sound Transit [enlarge]

[enlarge]

Sound Transit has hired two consultants to plan bus rapid transit (BRT) lines that will open in 2024 on Interstate 405 and state Route 522.

Earlier this month, the agency's board approved a $2.75 million contract with David Evans and Associates for the $364 million Route 522 line; and last week the board approved a $6.42 million contract with WSP USA for the $812 million I-405 line.

Sound Transit describes the BRT system as “rail on rubber tires.”

The two lines will connect 11 cities. Twenty BRT stations are planned, along with new and expanded parking facilities and transit centers. They will have a dedicated bus fleet and a $139 million operations and maintenance facility for the buses.

“Sound Transit's first BRT projects will provide frequent, fast and reliable transit service to people living and working along the I-405 and SR 522 corridors, who currently experience some of the worst traffic congestion in the region,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff in a news release. “BRT will reduce peak-hour transit travel time along I-405 by about 30 percent, and provide reliable connections to Link from SR 522, enabling faster trips to downtown, the airport and throughout the region.”

The I-405 BRT line will run along 37 miles of I-405 and state Route 518, from Lynnwood to Burien. The route will have a new transit center in south Renton and 11 BRT stations, some in the center of the freeway and three with added parking. It will have connections to Link light rail in Lynnwood, downtown Bellevue and Tukwila.

A trip on the I-405 BRT line from Lynnwood to Bellevue will take 45 minutes, and a ride from Burien to Bellevue will take 48 minutes.

The SR 522 BRT line will run eight miles along the north end of Lake Washington. It includes nine stations, an expanded transit center at UW Bothell, and additional parking in Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and Bothell.

It also will connect to the I-405 BRT line at Northeast 195th Street in Bothell and to a future Link light rail station at Interstate 5 and Northeast 145th Street.

A trip on the SR 522 BRT line from Lake Forest Park to downtown Seattle, via the future Link station at 145th, will take 38 minutes.

The BRT lines will use existing bus-only lanes, express toll lanes and HOV lanes — not new roads. Sound Transit plans to widen roadways in some areas to make room for new business access and transit (BAT) lanes, bus queue jumps and bus-only lanes.

Other measures that are expected to speed up service include specialized buses with multiple doors, platform-level boarding and off-board fare payment. Buses will run as often as every 10 minutes.

Evans and WSP will provide planning, engineering and architectural design for stations, parking facilities, transit centers, roadway improvements, and the operations and maintenance center. They also will develop purpose and need statements, conduct operations analyses, refine cost estimates, assess fleet options, develop BRT branding, and work with stakeholders.

Sound Transit also approved a $223,893 task order with the Washington State Department of Transportation to help during the first development phase of the I-405 BRT line, since most of it lies in WSDOT's right of way. WSDOT will help evaluate new freeway BRT stations and provide technical support.

This year, staff and consultants will refine proposed routes, station locations and other elements.

In early 2019, the Sound Transit board will select preferred alternatives for both lines, followed by conceptual engineering and environmental review.

Design and engineering is expected to extend to 2022, when construction would start.

The two BRT lines will be some of the first projects to come on line under the Sound Transit 3 plan.