CENTRAL AND EAST CORRIDORS

Transcription

1 HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT STUDY CENTRAL AND EAST CORRIDORS SEPTEMBER 2014 CORRIDOR REPORT: I-405 BUS RAPID TRANSIT

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3 HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT CORRIDOR STUDY I-405 Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Sound Transit Central/East High-Capacity Transit Corridor Study Corridor Report: I-405 Bus Rapid Transit Corridor

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5 CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS... v 1 INTRODUCTION PROBLEM STATEMENT BACKGROUND Previous Analysis Sound Move Sound Transit Long Range Plan Sound Transit 2 Plan I 405 Corridor Master Plan Bus Rapid Transit Studies Travel Markets Downtown Renton Travel Markets West Bellevue Travel Markets Totem Lake Travel Markets Bothell / Canyon Park County Travel Markets City of Lynnwood Travel Markets GOALS AND OBJECTIVES INITIAL SCREENING EVALUATION LEVEL 1 EVALUATION LEVEL 2 EVALUATION Description of Alternatives Alternative A2: Full I 405 Corridor Master Plan with Bus Rapid Transit in Express Toll Lanes Alternative A3: Phased Implementation of I 405 Corridor Master Plan with Bus Rapid Transit in Express Toll Lanes Key Findings by Performance Measure Travel Time Ridership Capital Costs Cost effectiveness Reliability Station Area Assessment RISKS AND UNKNOWNS NEXT STEPS Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor iii

6 10 REFERENCES Tables ES 1 Alternatives Key Travel Patterns in the I 405 BRT Study Area Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from the Downtown Renton Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from West Bellevue Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from Totem Lake Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from Canyon Park Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from City of Lynnwood Goals and Screening Questions Screening Results Alternatives PM Peak Transit Travel Times (in Minutes) from Bellevue Transit Center Daily Riders by Alternative Cost by Alternative Exhibits ES 1 Level 2 Alternatives... 3 ES 2 Service Alternatives... 4 ES 3 Evaluation Summary for I 405 BRT Corridor Alternatives Sound Transit HCT Studies Long List of Alternative Concepts Level 1 Alternatives I 405 BRT Service Concepts Level 2 Alternatives Level 2 Evaluation Summary iv Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

7 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Sound Transit Central/East High Capacity Transit Corridor Study BRT bus rapid transit Central/East HCT Corridor Study Central/East High Capacity Transit Corridor Study CTR Commute Trip Reduction HCT high capacity transit HOV high occupancy toll HOT I 405 Interstate 405 I 405 Corridor I 405 Bus Rapid Transit Corridor I 5 Interstate 5 O&M operations and maintenance mph miles per hour PSRC Puget Sound Regional Council Sea Tac Airport Seattle Tacoma International Airport SOV single occupancy vehicle SR State Route TOD transit oriented development UW University of Washington WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor v

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9 Sound Transit East/Central High Capacity Transit Corridor Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Central/East High Capacity Transit (HCT) Corridor Study (HCT Corridor Study) is one of five HCT corridor planning studies Sound Transit has conducted to accomplish the following: 1) support the Sound Transit Board of Directors in decisions about the Sound Transit Long Range Plan update and 2) inform choices for the next phase of the regional HCT system plan s development. The study area for the HCT Corridor Study spans from Lynnwood at the north to Renton at the south, from Ballard at the west and Issaquah at the east. This study area encompasses major sections of Interstate 405 (I 405) and portions of State Route (SR) 520 and Interstate 90 (I 90), which are the primary routes serving the cities inside the study area. The study explored opportunities for improving transit connections within the following five corridors: University District Kirkland Redmond Ballard to University District Eastside Rail Corridor I 405 Bus Rapid Transit Kirkland Bellevue Issaquah This report summarizes the process used to identify and evaluate high capacity transit (HCT) system improvements specifically for the Interstate 405 (I 405) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor. The results of the study will be used by Sound Transit staff and board members as they update Sound Transit s Long Range Plan; as well as develop a potential future system expansion program and inform future decisions regarding mode and alternative for those corridors where HCT is identified to move forward. The I 405 Corridor is a critical link connecting major population and employment centers on the Eastside. The freeway is congested during many parts of the day, which provides a good incentive to use the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, either as a carpooler, vanpooler, or bus rider. The HOV lanes serve the corridor bus routes; however, the HOV lanes often perform unreliably during peak hours when HOV volumes are high. Washington State Department of Transportation s (WSDOT s) planned Express Toll Lane system is anticipated to provide more reliable transit travel times throughout the day. I 405 serves a growing market for transit and other regional travel on the Eastside. The travel market analysis documents the strength of Downtown Bellevue as the central core of the I 405 Corridor. Bellevue also serves as a hub for connections to and from Downtown Seattle and communities to the east, such as Redmond and Issaquah. Most trips along the I 405 Corridor are only a few miles in length, and few traverse the entire corridor length of 30 miles. These travel patterns indicate that an I 405 BRT system might need different improvements in specific segments of the corridor, since different markets are being served. The central part of the corridor, from Kirkland south to Renton, is the most heavily traveled segment and serves a relatively well defined market area. At the ends of the corridor (e.g., north of State Route (SR) 522 and south of Renton), the travel markets are more dispersed. Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor ES 1

10 As part of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan (WSDOT, 2002), BRT was recommended as the preferred HCT system due to its flexibility to meet the varying needs of travel markets along the 30 mile corridor. Elements of the BRT concept has been partially implemented, with Sound Transit contributing to fund the HOV direct access ramps at NE 6th Street in Bellevue and fully funding the NE 128th Street HOV direct access ramps and freeway stations in Totem Lake. Sound Transit also funded the I 405 bus flyer stop and pedestrian overcrossing at SR 527 in Bothell. In addition, Sound Transit has implemented several transit center projects along the corridor. In September 2013, Sound Transit completed a report that documented the existing and forecasted future land use, transportation, environmental, and transit service conditions within the I 405 Corridor. The report (Sound Transit, 2013) included a purpose statement that summarized the needs in this corridor that could be served by BRT service. The report and purpose statement were used as a basis for developing a long list of corridor options to be considered by the Sound Transit. Sound Transit screened all options against the project s purpose statement to discern which options best meet the transit needs in the corridor. A total of three representative alternatives, with three design options, were advanced into the Level 1 Evaluation following a workshop in October These alternatives were compared against one another in relation to 15 performance measures, all related to Sound Transit s Long Range Plan goals. More detailed information about the Level 1 Evaluation is available in the I 405 Bus Rapid Transit Level 1 Evaluation Report (Sound Transit, 2014a). Another workshop held in January 2014 advanced 2 representative alternatives with 3 design options into a more robust Level 2 Evaluation. These Level 2 alternatives are illustrated in Exhibit ES 1. Two levels of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan were considered in this study: full build out and phased build out. Phased build out assumes that only those I 405 BRT projects that are currently funded or have been identified as next priority projects by WSDOT are constructed. Three service concepts were considered, as shown in Exhibit ES 2. The alternatives studied in the Level 2 evaluation are combinations of the two I 405 Corridor Master Plan build out options and the three service concepts, as summarized in Table ES 1. For a map, see Exhibit ES 1. Table ES-1. Alternatives I-405 Corridor Master Plan Service Concept Trunk-and-Branch Single Route Serving North Renton Full Build-out A2a A2b A2c Phased Build-out A3a A3b ES 2 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

11 Sound Transit Central/East High Capacity Transit Corridor Study Exhibit ES-1. Level 2 Alternatives Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor ES 3

12 Exhibit ES-2. Service Alternatives ES 4 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

13 The Level 2 Evaluation relied on a more detailed conceptual design of the representative alternatives and robust evaluation against a set of 16 performance measures. The key findings of the Level 2 Evaluation are provided below and summarized in Exhibit ES 3; more detailed information is available in the I 405 Bus Rapid Transit Level 2 Evaluation Report (Sound Transit, 2014b). Travel Time: Alternative A2a travel times would be generally shorter than existing travel times with a few exceptions. Substantial travel time savings are observed to the Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac Airport) than with current Sound Transit Express service or future light rail transit (LRT) service (East Link to Central Link). This is due to travel in the proposed express toll lanes as well as a more direct route compared to light rail. Travel on Alternative A2b (single route) would be generally about 10 minutes longer than the direct routes for destinations requiring a transfer. This is a combination of two factors: the transfer time and the backtracking between the Interstate 5 (I 5) interchange and Lynnwood Transit Center (as compared with the direct branch route to Everett). Alternative A2c would reach SeaTac, Tukwila, and Kent approximately 10 minutes faster than Alternative A2a by traveling along I 405 rather than through Downtown Renton. Alternative A3a would take roughly 5 minutes longer than Alternative A2a to reach Lynnwood and Everett. Alternative A3a would have minor travel time increases over Alternative A2a, and Alternative A3b would compound the travel time effects of a single route and a less efficient network to provide the longest travel times among the alternatives. Ridership: Alternative A2 design options would have higher ridership than the Alternative A3 options, due to more efficient operations and shorter travel times. Alternative A2 efficiencies are gained through more convenient access points which would allow buses to operate in the express toll lanes for longer distances. Fewer direct access ramps and in line stations would be provided and NE 85th Street in Kirkland, and Newport Hills Park and Ride would not be served. Of the Alternative A2 design options, the single route (A2b) would have the fewest projected boardings. Alternative A2c would have higher ridership primarily due to the travel time savings between SR 167 and Renton Landing, where buses would travel along I 405 rather than through Downtown Renton. Alternative A2a would attract the highest ridership, because it serves more destinations directly, resulting in fewer transfers and shorter travel times. Alternative A3b would have the lowest ridership among the alternatives, because it requires more riders to transfer. Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor ES 5

14 Exhibit ES-3. Evaluation Summary for I-405 BRT Corridor Alternatives ES 6 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

15 Reliability: Full build out of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan is expected to provide better reliability than phased build out due to the completion of the Express Toll Lane system and improved BRT station and HOV/transit access. The single route alternatives are expected to offer better reliability than the trunk and branch alternatives, because there is less travel on local arterials in mixed traffic. However, connecting bus routes would need to travel on the local arterials. Alternative A2b (single route on full buildout) is expected to provide the highest reliability; Alternatives A2a, A2c, and A3b are expected to provide moderate reliability; and Alternative A3a (trunk and branch on phased build out) is expected to provide the lowest reliability. There is a risk that the express toll lanes will not operate at WSDOT s goal of 45 mph speeds at least 90 percent of the time, which would affect reliability of the BRT system. Costs: The I 405 Corridor Master Plan includes projects that would benefit transit, HOV, and single occupant vehicle (SOV) users. The conceptual capital costs estimated for this effort represent only the incremental costs to implement BRT in the corridor, not the cost of the full I 405 Corridor Master Plan. All three design options of Alternative A2 are expected to have capital costs of $1,280 to $1,670 million, approximately $140 to $170 million of which is right of way cost. Alternative A3, phased implementation of the Master Plan, includes fewer improvements, with an estimated capital cost of $680 to $920 million, approximately $25 million of which is right of way cost. Operations and Maintenance Costs: The trunk and branch alternatives would have higher operations and maintenance costs than the single route alternatives due to the increased length of the routes. Alternative A2a is expected to be highest at between $42 and $46 million per year. Alternatives A2c and A3a would be slightly less at between $39 and $43 million and between $38 and $42 million per year, respectively. The single route alternatives, A2b and A3b, are expected to have annual operations and maintenance costs of between $22 and $26 million. Cost effectiveness: The conceptual capital cost of the alternatives and the potential travel market are the main factors behind the cost effectiveness results. Alternative A2 options would be less cost effective than the Alternative A3 options. Alternative A2c would be the least cost effective, while Alternatives A3a and A3b would be the most cost effective. Station Area Assessment. Most of the representative stations would serve existing park and rides, transit centers, or freeway stations along I 405 or I 5. Generally, most proposed stations have low to moderate development potential due to their location directly adjacent to the freeway, which bisects the transit walkshed and hampers multimodal access and connectivity to the station. The exceptions to these findings are found at Bellevue Transit Center, Renton Landing, and Renton Transit Center. Other notable station areas included Kingsgate Park and Ride in Kirkland, which is adjacent to, but not directly located within, the Totem Lake urban center. Locally adopted plans envision Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor ES 7

16 remaking the existing Totem Lake suburban retail into a mixed use, walkable urban district. All station locations are conceptual only. Overall the main differentiators within the I 405 Corridor were travel time savings and ridership (trunk and branch alternatives performing better than single route alternatives), cost (Alternative A3 as lowest capital cost), and operations and maintenance costs (where trunkand branch alternatives show higher costs than single route). ES 8 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

17 1 INTRODUCTION The Central/East High Capacity Transit (HCT) Study is one of five HCT corridor planning studies Sound Transit has conducted to accomplish the following: 1) support the Sound Transit Board of Directors in decisions about the Sound Transit Long Range Plan update and 2) inform choices for a potential next phase of the regional HCT system plan s development. The study area for the Central/East HCT Study (Exhibit 1) spans from Lynnwood at the north to Renton at the south, from Ballard at the west and Issaquah at the east. This study area encompasses major sections of Interstate 405 (I 405) and portions of State Route (SR) 520 and Interstate 90 (I 90), which are the primary routes serving the cities inside the study area. The study explored opportunities for improving transit connections within the following five corridors: University District Kirkland Redmond Ballard to University District Eastside Rail Corridor I 405 Bus Rapid Transit Kirkland Bellevue Issaquah This report summarizes the process used to identify and evaluate HCT system improvements specifically for the Interstate 405 (I 405) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor (I 405 Corridor) and key findings from that evaluation. This I 405 BRT Corridor Report evaluates alternatives with the potential to improve regional transit connections between many of the larger communities on the Eastside Bellevue, Renton, Kirkland, and Bothell and extends to Lynnwood at the north end. This report also measures the performance of these improvements, such as ridership and mobility benefits, environmental effects and benefits, transit costs and cost effectiveness, and consistency with regional and local plans. Similar documents have been prepared for the four other corridors included in the list above, as well as other corridors within Seattle (Ballard to Downtown, Downtown to West Seattle), to the north (Lynnwood to Everett), and to the south (vicinity of Burien, SeaTac, and Tukwila; Federal Way to Tacoma). The study results will help inform the ST Board as they work to update the agency s Long Range Plan and as they make the future decisions regarding mode, alternative, and implementation of HCT. 2 PROBLEM STATEMENT The I 405 Corridor is a critical link connecting major population and employment centers on the Eastside. The freeway is congested during many parts of the day, providing a good incentive to use the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, either as a carpooler, vanpooler, or bus rider. The HOV lanes serve the corridor bus routes; however, the HOV lanes often perform unreliably during peak hours when HOV volumes are high. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has planned an Express Toll Lanes system, which is expected to provide more reliable transit travel times throughout the day. Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 1

18 Exhibit 1. Sound Transit HCT Studies 2 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

19 I 405 serves a growing market for transit and other regional travel on the Eastside. The travel market analysis documents the strength of Downtown Bellevue as the central core of the I 405 Corridor. Bellevue also serves as a hub for connections to and from Downtown Seattle and communities to the east, such as Redmond and Issaquah. Most trips along the I 405 Corridor are only a few miles in length, and few traverse the entire corridor length. These travel patterns indicate that an I 405 BRT system might need different improvements in different segments of the corridor, since different markets are being served. The central part of the corridor, from Kirkland south to Renton, is the most heavily traveled segment and serves a relatively well defined market area. At the ends of the corridor (e.g., north of SR 522 and south of Renton), the travel markets are more dispersed. As part of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan (WSDOT, 2002), BRT was recommended as the preferred HCT system due to its flexibility to meet the varying travel markets along the 30 mile corridor. The BRT concept has been partially implemented, with Sound Transit contributing to funding the HOV direct access ramps at NE 6th Street in Bellevue and fully funding the NE 128th Street HOV direct access ramps and inline stations in Totem Lake. Sound Transit also funded the I 405 bus flyer stop and pedestrian overcrossing at SR 527 in Bothell. In addition, Sound Transit has implemented several transit center projects along the corridor. Following are several issues that affect implementing a BRT system along the I 405 Corridor: WSDOT s Conversion of HOV lanes to Express Toll Lanes: This would affect access to the priority lanes and operations of direct access ramps. Access would be more restricted because vehicles could only enter and exit the express toll lanes at certain locations. Access to transit service: Several transit centers/park and rides are located off of the corridor and would require routing buses on local streets, which would increase travel time. Travel Market: The travel market analysis demonstrated that transit markets vary along I 405. There is a core demand between Kirkland and Renton, with Downtown Bellevue as the key destination. The markets tend to disperse to the north and south of the corridor. These varying demand patterns would need to be reflected in the BRT design in terms of access points and station configuration. Integration within the I 405 Corridor Master Plan: The I 405 Corridor Master Plan has evolved over the past 10 years. Key BRT components may need to be revised to address the changing needs and development patterns over time. Finally, examining BRT in the I 405 Corridor needs to consider Sound Transit HCT projects such as East Link Extension that are in design and construction, as well as the interface with other potential long range planning efforts from Lynnwood to Everett and in the south end from Renton to Burien. Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 3

20 3 BACKGROUND This section summarizes the previous analysis completed for the I 405 Corridor, a summary of the baseline condition assessment, and the three step alternatives evaluation completed as part of this study. 3.1 Previous Analysis Sound Move The Sound Transit Board adopted Sound Move in 1996 (Sound Transit, 1996), and voters approved the plan the same year. Sound Move included implementation of Sounder commuter rail, Link light rail, new transit centers, park and ride facilities, and HOV direct access projects. The I 405 Corridor was identified as an HOV expressway, defined as a continuous system of HOV lanes with either direct access ramps or flyer stops for transit and carpools. The expressway would accommodate new express bus routes running along the length of the corridor Sound Transit Long Range Plan Sound Transit s Regional Long Range Plan (Sound Transit, 2005) included BRT as a component of the potential HCT service for the region. I 405 is identified as being a major north south regional travel corridor and is part of Sound Transit s planned network of services. The 2005 Long Range Plan identified I 405 as a BRT corridor. I 405 is also identified as a corridor for regional express bus service and potential rail extension Sound Transit 2 Plan Voters approved the Sound Transit 2 Plan ballot measure in The plan included expanding regional express bus service, commuter rail service, and light rail. Based on increasing ridership demand, Sound Transit 2 Plan provided annual operating and fleet expansion funds to increase bus service along I 405. Sound Transit 2 Plan recognized that BRT was identified as the preferred HCT mode for I 405 by the I 405 Corridor Master Plan, and thus funded planning studies of potential BRT service along the I 405 corridor, of which this report is a component. Previous studies that focused exclusively on the I 405 Corridor are discussed in the following section. These studies include the I 405 Corridor Master Plan as well as two BRT studies I 405 Corridor Master Plan BRT planning studies were carried out during the late 1990s and early 2000s in WSDOT s I 405 Corridor Program (WSDOT, 2002), which established the transportation master plan in the I 405 Corridor from I 5 in Lynnwood to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (Sea Tac Airport). This project was officially named Interstate 405 Congestion Relief and Bus Rapid Transit Projects and was created to improve all transportation modes in the corridor. The main components recommended in the I 405 Corridor Program were building up to two new general purpose 4 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

21 lanes in each direction of I 405, a corridor wide BRT line, and increased local transit service. The program also aimed to reduce traffic congestion on the freeway by improving key local arterials, providing new BRT services, expanding transit centers, and adding more than 5,000 park and ride spaces. The master plan was not fully funded. The I 405 Corridor Program described a 20 plus year vision of multi modal improvements to the freeway, transit systems, and arterials along the I 405 Corridor from Tukwila to Lynnwood. The I 405 Corridor Program envisioned a BRT system along the length of I 405 with all day service and 10 minute headways. Bus travel in the master plan envisioned HOV lanes, direct access ramps, and off vehicle fare collection. BRT within the I 405 Corridor was identified as part of the Preferred Alternative in the I 405 Corridor Program Final Environmental Impact Statement (WSDOT, 2002), and Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration issued a Record of Decision endorsing the Preferred Alternative in 2002 (U.S. Department of Transportation et al., 2002). The BRT concept has been partially implemented. Sound Transit contributed to funding HOV direct access ramps at NE 6th Street in Bellevue and fully funded the NE 128th Street in Totem Lake. Sound Transit also funded the I 405 bus flyer stop and pedestrian overcrossing at SR 527 in Bothell. In addition, Sound Transit has implemented several transit center projects serving local and regional bus service along the corridor, including Lynnwood, Totem Lake, Bellevue, and Kirkland Bus Rapid Transit Studies In 2003, WSDOT prepared a white paper on an I 405 BRT line concept (WSDOT, 2003). This white paper described potential components of a proposed BRT line which was to be an initial step in implementing transit investments identified in the full vision of the I 405 Master Plan. The concept was to provide frequent, convenient, and comfortable two way, all day bus service for the communities along I 405 between the Lynnwood Transit Center and Sea Tac Airport. Buses would share HOV lanes or high occupancy toll lanes on I 405 and use direct access ramps and/or in line stops to reduce the time it takes to pick up and/or drop off passengers. Riders would access the BRT service at a limited number of locations, often at park and ride facilities or at transit centers where passengers could transfer to and from local bus routes. A subsequent BRT study was published in 2005 (WSDOT, 2005). The purpose of this pre design study, conducted as part of the I 405 Corridor Program, was to assess the potential feasibility of BRT service along the southern portion of the I 405 Corridor (from Bellevue to Sea Tac Airport), and identify infrastructure improvements that would support such service. The first part of the study focused on assessing the overall feasibility of operating BRT in the southern section of the I 405 Corridor, building from BRT planning work completed as part of previous I 405 Corridor Program studies. The second part of the study focused on identifying infrastructure elements and improvements along I 405 that would be required to support BRT operations, along with planning level costs. Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 5

22 The study tested two alternative concepts for how BRT service could be provided: a single route concept extending from Lynnwood to Sea Tac Airport and a trunk and branch service concept with four BRT lines that extend into neighboring communities but all travel on I 405. Modeling analysis of these two concepts suggested that the trunk and branch concept offered the greatest potential ridership. 3.2 Travel Markets The travel market and current transit ridership is based on output from the Sound Transit Ridership Forecasting Model (Sound Transit, 2012), WSDOT s Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) survey (WSDOT, 2012), and a regional data collection of cell phone data (AirSage, 2013). The CTR survey data are limited to individuals who work for large employers (more than 100 employees), but is helpful in understanding the market potential for employment centers. A large dataset of origin destination data was obtained via real time location data from anonymous mobile phone records compiled by AirSage. The data were compared with the Puget Sound Regional Council s (PSRC s) travel demand model and household survey to crosscheck the reasonableness of the data. The key travel patterns are summarized in Table 1. Table 1. Key Travel Patterns in the I-405 BRT Study Area Origin Destination Percent of Total Trips Woodinville, Kirkland, Bothell West Bellevue and Mercer Island Renton Southbound to Bellevue 17 Southbound South King County 6 Northbound to Woodinville, Kirkland and Bothell 12 Southbound to South King County 14 Northbound to Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville, Bellevue 13 Southbound to Tukwila, Sea-Tac, Burien 13 Detailed travel market trends are described in the sections below Downtown Renton Travel Markets Table 2 shows the distribution of total daily trips and transit trips for the Downtown Renton travel market in The largest travel markets for transit users for the Renton market are the City of Seattle (42 percent), Kent (12 percent), SeaTac (11 percent), Bellevue (6 percent), and Tukwila (13 percent). The commute trip demand shown in the CTR survey data shows strong demand for travel between Renton and Seattle, Kent, Pierce County, and east King County. According to CTR data, the City of Kent is the largest travel market for commute trips from Renton at 14 percent. When all person trips are considered, the largest travel markets are the Tukwila and Renton (57 percent), City of Kent (12 percent) and the City of Seattle (13 percent). 6 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

23 Looking at Renton as a whole, approximately 21 percent of person trips from Renton travel north, potentially using the I 405 corridor. Table 2. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from the Downtown Renton Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share North North Snohomish County 50 0% 200 0% 800 1% South Snohomish County 100 1% 1,000 2% 1,400 1% Burien 310 2% 1,400 3% 3,200 2% Tukwila and Renton 1,680 13% 15,400 35% 77,800 57% South SeaTac and Des Moines 1,450 11% 1,200 3% 4,400 3% Federal Way 240 2% 1,600 4% 1,600 1% Kent 1,550 12% 6,000 14% 11,600 9% Far East King County 40 0% % 2,800 2% Redmond Downtown 0 0% 0 0% 200 0% Redmond Overlake 10 0% 0 0% 400 0% East Issaquah 40 0% 200 0% 600 0% Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville and Kenmore 70 1% 600 1% 600 0% East Bellevue 490 4% 1,400 3% 3,200 2% West Bellevue and Mercer Island Seattle Central Business District 250 2% 800 2% 2,200 2% 2,010 15% 1,200 3% 8,200 6% Central Ballard/Fremont/Wallingford 280 2% 200 0% 600 0% University Community 300 2% 0 0% 400 0% Rest of Seattle 2,990 23% 3,200 7% 10,200 7% Region Pierce County 1,270 10% % 5,800 4% Rest of Region 50 0% 200 0% 400 0% Total 13, % 43, % 136, % Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 7

24 3.2.2 West Bellevue Travel Markets Table 3 shows the distribution of total daily trips and transit trips for the City of Bellevue west of I The largest travel markets for transit users for this market are Seattle (41 percent), East Bellevue (15 percent), Issaquah (5 percent), and Renton (6 percent). When all person trips are considered, the largest travel markets are East Bellevue (18 percent), City of Seattle (10 percent), Kirkland/Bothell/Woodinville (6 percent) and Snohomish County (5 percent). Far eastern King County also makes up approximately 7 percent of the total daily person trips going to and from West Bellevue. The transit markets are much more heavily concentrated on Seattle and other well served transit markets, while the daily person trips are more dispersed throughout the Eastside. The strong travel market between Bellevue and Issaquah shows up in the total daily trips but much less in daily transit trips. Table 3. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from West Bellevue Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share North North Snohomish County 390 2% 2,000 2% 2,800 1% South Snohomish County 940 5% 9,800 10% 11,200 4% Burien 290 2% 800 1% 600 0% Tukwila and Renton 1,180 6% % 9,800 4% South SeaTac and Des Moines 420 2% % 1,200 0% Federal Way 150 1% 800 1% 600 0% Kent 320 2% % 1,400 1% Far East King County 770 4% % 17,600 7% Redmond Downtown 180 1% 800 1% 3,200 1% Redmond Overlake 130 1% 1,000 1% 5,400 2% East Issaquah 890 5% % 2,400 1% Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville and Kenmore 1,360 7% % 16,000 6% East Bellevue 2,880 15% % 45,800 18% West Bellevue and Mercer Island 960 5% % 104,800 42% 1 Includes Mercer Island 8 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

25 Table 3. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from West Bellevue Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Seattle Central Business District Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share 1,690 9% 5,200 5% 10,600 4% Central Ballard/Fremont/Wallingford 1,340 7% % 2,400 1% University Community 690 4% % 1,600 1% Rest of Seattle 3,970 21% 10,200 11% 7,800 3% Region Pierce County 230 1% % 3,400 1% Rest of Region 120 1% 600 1% 600 0% Total 18, % 97, % 249, % Totem Lake Travel Markets Table 4 shows the distribution of total daily trips and transit trips for the Totem Lake travel market in The largest travel markets for transit users for the Totem Lake market are Seattle (76 percent) and Bellevue (4 percent). Snohomish County as a whole makes up approximately 12 percent of the current transit market with routes that run down I 405. Transit travel patterns are much more focused on Seattle compared to total daily trips, which are more dispersed throughout the Eastside. Table 4. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from Totem Lake Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share North North Snohomish County 50 4% 2,600 8% 2,800 2% South Snohomish County 50 4% 10,200 32% 16,800 13% Burien 0 0% 0 0% 200 0% Tukwila and Renton 10 1% 600 2% 1,000 1% South SeaTac and Des Moines 0 0% 0 0% 600 0% Federal Way 0 0% 200 1% 200 0% Kent 10 1% 200 1% 400 0% Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 9

26 Table 4. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from Totem Lake Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Far East King County 100 8% % 7,400 6% Redmond Downtown 30 2% 400 1% 3,400 3% Redmond Overlake 20 2% 200 1% 2,400 2% East Issaquah 0 0% 200 1% 400 0% Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville and Kenmore % % 71,800 55% East Bellevue 110 9% % 7,800 6% West Bellevue and Mercer Island Seattle Central Business District % 800 2% 6,400 5% % 600 2% 3,400 3% Central Ballard/Fremont/Wallingford 30 2% 200 1% 600 0% University Community 50 4% 0 0% 600 0% Rest of Seattle % 1,200 4% 2,200 2% Region Pierce County 0 0% 400 1% 1,200 1% Rest of Region 0 0% 0 0% 200 0% Total 1, % 32, % 129, % Bothell / Canyon Park County Travel Markets Table 5 shows the distribution of total daily trips and transit trips for the Canyon Park travel market. The largest travel markets for transit users for the Canyon Park market are Seattle (72 percent), southern Snohomish County and Lynnwood (12 percent), and City of Bellevue (4 percent). Commute trips to and from Canyon Park in 2035 are largest between Snohomish County (over 75 percent). The large share of Snohomish County trips are reflective of the large draw that Boeing s Everett Plant has on travel in northern King County and southern Snohomish County. Total daily trips are focused on the nearby communities of Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville, and Kenmore, while Seattle trips only represent 3 percent of the daily trip total. Trips from Canyon Park to south King County are 4 percent of the total, which is consistent with the findings of the I 405 Master Plan, showing few people generally travel the entire length of I Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

27 Table 5. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from Canyon Park Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share North North Snohomish County 130 3% 1,800 15% 4,200 4% South Snohomish County 420 9% 7,600 62% 54,200 50% Burien 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Tukwila and Renton 30 1% 0 0% 400 0% South SeaTac and Des Moines 20 0% 0 0% 600 1% Federal Way 10 0% 0 0% 0 0% Kent 10 0% 0 0% 200 0% Far East King County 40 1% 400 3% 1,200 1% Redmond Downtown 20 0% 0 0% 800 1% Redmond Overlake 70 1% 0 0% 800 1% East Issaquah 10 0% 0 0% 200 0% Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville and Kenmore 140 3% 2,000 16% 36,400 34% East Bellevue 40 1% 0 0% 1,800 2% West Bellevue and Mercer Island Seattle Central Business District 160 3% 0 0% 1,600 1% 1,590 34% 0 0% 1,600 1% Central Ballard/Fremont/Wallingford 90 2% 0 0% 400 0% University Community % 0 0% 400 0% Rest of Seattle 1,270 27% 400 3% 2,000 2% Region Pierce County 10 0% 0 0% 400 0% Rest of Region 10 0% 0 0% 200 0% Total 4, % 12, % 107, % City of Lynnwood Travel Markets Table 6 shows the distribution of total daily trips and transit trips in 2035 for the City of Lynnwood. The largest travel markets for transit users for the City of Lynnwood are Seattle (59 percent) and Snohomish County (32 percent). Commute trips to and from Lynnwood are largest within Snohomish County (82 percent), City of Kirkland (6 percent) and Seattle at 7 percent. The large share of Snohomish County trips are reflective of the large draw that Boeing s Everett Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 11

28 Plant has on travel in southern Snohomish County. As with the Canyon Park findings, few of the daily trips travel the length on I 405 to the south King County communities. Table 6. Future Travel Markets for Trips to and from City of Lynnwood Transit Trips Commute Trips Total Daily Trips Major Market by Districts Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share Daily Trips Share North North Snohomish County 4,020 11% 10,800 13% 28,400 6% South Snohomish County 7,480 21% 57,600 69% 354,000 80% Burien 50 0% 200 0% 200 0% Tukwila and Renton 170 0% 200 0% 1,000 0% South SeaTac and Des Moines 120 0% 0 0% 1,200 0% Federal Way 100 0% 0 0% 200 0% Kent 70 0% 200 0% 600 0% Far East King County 190 1% % 2,400 1% Redmond Downtown 40 0% 0 0% 800 0% Redmond Overlake 120 0% 0 0% 1,000 0% East Issaquah 20 0% 0 0% 400 0% Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville and Kenmore 700 2% % 17,800 4% East Bellevue 250 1% 400 0% 2,000 0% West Bellevue and Mercer Island Seattle Central Business District 580 2% 400 0% 1,600 0% 7,280 20% 800 1% 7,800 2% Central Ballard/Fremont/Wallingford 940 3% % 3,200 1% University Community 4,120 11% 200 0% 1,800 0% Rest of Seattle 9,070 25% 4,000 5% 13,600 3% Region Pierce County 180 1% 400 0% 2,000 0% Rest of Region 440 1% 600 1% 600 0% Total 35, % 84, % 440, % 4 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The HCT system improvements evaluated in each corridor study were developed through a process that first identified potential transit markets, service levels, ridership, operating issues, and performance in the I 405 Corridor. Using this information, alternatives were then developed with the intent to achieve Sound Transit s goals to accomplish the following: 12 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

29 Provide a transportation system that facilitates long term mobility. Enhance communities and protect the environment. Contribute to the region s economic vitality. Strengthen communities access to and use of the regional transit network. Develop a system that is financially feasible. Once the alternatives were developed conceptually, they were evaluated using a three tiered decision making framework to determine how well they performed against the above stated goals and objectives. The framework consisted of a first tier ( Screening ) to remove alternatives that did not address the corridor s identified problem statement, and the second and third tiers (Level 1 Evaluation and Level 2 Evaluation, respectively) that evaluated a smaller set of alternatives against the goals and objectives. Key factors of evaluation included aspects of ridership, travel time savings, costs and cost/benefit factors, transit oriented development (TOD) potential and environmental effects. 5 INITIAL SCREENING EVALUATION A range of alternative and mode options addressing the primary transportation and land use issues and opportunities in the corridor were identified through a workshop setting among members of the technical project team and Sound Transit. BRT was the mode considered for this corridor based on direction in the ST2 Plan which identified the corridors to be studied for future high capacity transit. In the I 405 corridor, the focus was on planning for BRT, the preferred long term high capacity transit technology identified in WSDOT s I 405 Corridor Program Master Plan. Other considerations for this corridor were the transit and roadway improvements identified in WSDOT s I 405 Master Plan. The initial set of options was then screened based on a series of screening questions (see Table 7). The screening questions were developed in response to Sound Transit s Long Range Plan goals. Generally, if the mode would not meet the objective of each screening question, then it was not forwarded for further evaluation. Table 7. Goals and Screening Questions Goals Goal 1: Provide a Transportation System that Facilitates Long- Term Mobility Goal 2: Enhance Communities and Protect the Environment Screening Questions Question 1: Would the concept provide high-capacity transit service, defined as a system of public transportation services within an urbanized region operating principally on exclusive rights of way, and the supporting services and facilities necessary to implement such a system? Question 2: Could the concept avoid or minimize significant impacts to known designated critically sensitive environmental and/or parks or 4(f) resources where another prudent and feasible alternative has been identified? [NOTE: This would be limited to known parks that are 4(f) and other resources identified by local jurisdictions as highly critical environmental features.] Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 13

30 Table 7. Goals and Screening Questions Goals Goal 3: Contribute to the Region s Economic Vitality Goal 4: Strengthen Communities Access to and Use of the Regional Transit Network Goal 5: Develop a System that is Financially Feasible Screening Questions Question 3: Would the concept connect designated or proposed regional centers, designated urban villages, or other locally- or regionally-identified areas for targeted growth? Question 4: Would the concept serve the region s employment and residential centers, including areas of future targeted economic growth, as evidenced in adopted local and regional plans? Question 5: Does the concept connect to existing or planned future Sound Transit HCT service as documented in ST2? Question 6: Given what is known as of October 2013, is there potential for the concept to be designed so as to avoid: a. Adding trains to the existing downtown transit tunnel b. Adding substantial numbers of new riders to the planned University Link station which could overload the station platforms c. Impacting East Link operations and headways Question 7: Is it feasible for the concept (mode, corridor) to be constructed to HCT standards, given the known topographic, geometric, and other engineering-related constraints of the corridor and within reasonable costs for expected benefits? Question 8: Could the concept be constructed in a manner so as to avoid substantial regulatory hurdles and/or avoid or mitigate substantial impacts to the natural environment and/or the built environment? A screening workshop was held in October The objectives of the workshop were to: (1) review the corridor and mode options being screened and (2) identify the alternatives and modes to advance into the Level 1 Evaluation process. Exhibit 2 illustrates the alternative concepts developed for the screen. Table 8 summarizes the results of this screening workshop. 6 LEVEL 1 EVALUATION The Level 1 Evaluation refined the alternatives that were advanced based on the Initial Screening results. These corridors provided a range of representative alternatives that included various combinations of BRT running in at grade profiles. For the BRT alternatives, there are three levels of investment relating to the degree of exclusivity of the BRT running ways: High Entirely BRT exclusive running ways Medium More than 50 percent in either exclusive and/or toll/high occupancy vehicle [HOV] lanes Low Less than 50 percent in exclusive, and/or toll/hov lanes Three alternatives were considered in the Level 1 Evaluation, as well as three design options. The alternatives considered in the Level 1 analysis are illustrated in Exhibit 3 and described below: 14 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

31 Exhibit 2. Long List of Alternative Concepts Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 15

32 Table 8 Screening Results I-405 Corridor Screening Workshop For Level 1 Evaluation Exhibit 2 Representative Alternative/Mode Advanced for Further Evaluation? Level 1 Alternatives (Exhibit 3) A 1, B 1, B 8, C 2, C 4, C 8, D 1 BRT on I 405 Yes. Three levels of BRT on I 405 were advanced for Level 1 Evaluation. High end BRT, Medium end BRT, and Low end BRT. A1, A2, and A3 A 2, A 3, A 4, A 5, B 2, B 3, B 5, B 6, B 7, C 1, C 9, C 10, D 3, D 4, D 5 I 405 Master Plan Improvements with BRT Yes. Improvements related to the I 405 Master Plan were advanced and combined within each of the three levels of BRT on I 405. A1, A2, and A3 B 4 Shoulder bus lane SB on the west side of I 405 from SR 522 to NE 160 th Street Yes, as part of Low end BRT A3 C 5 BRT on Bellevue Way No based on Screening Question #1. Routing would require diversion from I 405 along surface streets with potential potential effects to travel time reliability N/A D 6 In Line Station at Park Avenue and interchange at Beacon Way S No based on Screening Questions #4 and 5. Routing would not provide direct access to downtown Renton. Beacon Way interchange not part of I 405 Master Plan and would require costly reconstruction of freeway. N/A 16 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

33 Sound Transit Central/East High Capacity Transit Corridor Study Exhibit 3. Level 1 Alternatives Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 17

34 Alternative A1: BRT along Guideway: Alternative A1 would be a separated guideway running parallel to I 405. The guideway would serve transit only. In line stations would be constructed at Canyon Park Park and Ride, Brickyard Park and Ride, Kingsgate Parkand Ride, NE 85th Street in Kirkland, Bellevue Transit Center, Newport Hills Park and Ride, and Renton Landing. Buses would transition to I 5 to reach Lynnwood Transit Center and Ash Way Park and Ride to the north, and would use local arterials to reach Renton Transit Center to the south. Alternative A2: Full I 405 Corridor Master Plan with BRT in Express Toll Lanes: Alternative A2 would include BRT travel on the I 405 dual Express Toll Lanes, which would be constructed as part of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan. This alternative assumes construction of the entire I 405 Corridor Master Plan would be funded by WSDOT, including key projects such as freeway to freeway HOV ramps between I 405 and I 5 in Lynnwood, direct access at SR 522, and an in line station at Newport Hills Park and Ride. Direct access ramps would be constructed at Brickyard Park and Ride, 240th Street SE to serve UW Bothell, NE 85th Street in Kirkland, and North 8th Street in Renton to serve Renton Landing. Alternative A2 has three design options the physical improvements are the same within the alternative, but the BRT service concepts vary. Alternative A2 Design Option A: Trunk and Branch Service: Alternative A2 Design Option A would utilize a trunk and branch service concept with four BRT lines that would stretch into neighboring communities but all travel on I 405 through the core of the alternative. This concept is shown in Exhibit 4. There would be four BRT lines: Kenmore Tukwila, Lynnwood SeaTac, Everett Bellevue, and Woodinville Kent. Each line was assumed to have 20 minute headways throughout the day, resulting in 5 to 7 minute headways along the trunk of the corridor between Kirkland and Renton for both peak and off peak time periods. Alternative A2 Design Option B: Single Route Service: Alternative A2 Design Option B would utilize a single route service concept with one BRT line that would stretch from Lynnwood to SeaTac, as shown in Exhibit 4. The single route was assumed to have 10 minute headways throughout the day for both peak and off peak time periods. Alternative A2 Design Option C: North Renton: Alternative A2 Design Option C is a slight modification to the trunk and branch system used in Alternative A2 Design Option A. Instead of traveling through Downtown Renton, buses would use the direct access at North 8th Street to serve Renton Landing and then reenter the highway as shown in Exhibit 4. Each line was assumed to have 20 minute headways throughout the day, resulting in 5 to 7 minute headways along the trunk of the corridor between Kirkland and Renton. This option provides improved speed and travel time because it operates on I 405 but does not serve the Renton Transit Center and South Renton park and ride. 18 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

35 Exhibit 4. I-405 BRT Service Concepts Sound Transit Central/East High Capacity Transit Corridor Study Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 19

36 Alternative A3: Partial I 405 Corridor Master Plan with BRT in Express Toll Lanes: Alternative A3 would also include BRT travel on the I 405 dual Express Toll Lanes. However, instead of assuming the full I 405 Corridor Master Plan is completed, this alternative assumes that only those projects that are currently funded or have been identified as next priority projects by WSDOT are constructed. Key projects include direct access ramps at SR 522 and at North 8th Street to serve Renton Landing. Alternative A3 is assumed to operate with the trunk and branch system described in Alternative A2a. However, Newport Hills Park and Ride and NE 85th Street in Kirkland would not be served since the necessary infrastructure improvements have not been identified as next priority projects by WSDOT. The Level 1 analysis and evaluation considered 15 performance measures, listed below: Provide a Transportation System that Facilitates Long Term Mobility 1. Travel time 2. Travel market potential 3. Amount of exclusive runningway Enhance Communities and Protect the Environment 1. Potential effects on parks and open space 2. Potential effect on wetlands 3. Potential effect on existing transportation systems 4. Potential effects on right of way/properties Contribute to the Region s Economic Vitality 1. Access to activity centers 2. Supporting land uses Strengthen Communities Access to and Use of the Regional Transit Network 1. Connectivity to transit (bus/rail) and multi modal networks 2. Disproportionate potential effects on minority or low income communities Develop a System that is Financially Feasible 1. Conceptual capital costs 2. Potential utility conflicts 3. Construction challenges 4. Availability of land to construct a maintenance facility A summary comparison is provided below for only those performance measures that showed substantial differences between the alternatives. The Level 1 Evaluation found similarities among the alternatives on many of the performance measures, including potential effect on existing transportation systems, access to activity centers, potential effect to minority or low income communities, and availability of land to 20 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

37 construct a maintenance facility. While other measures had slightly different ratings including supporting land uses and connectivity to transit and multi modal networks these were not substantial differentiators. While there was some variation in travel market potential among the alternatives, the potential was generally similar among the alternatives. Although the differences were relatively minor, Alternative A2a (trunk and branch service in conjunction with the full I 405 Corridor Master Plan) was expected to have the greatest travel market potential followed by the separated guideway of Alternative A1. The most substantial differentiators between the alternatives contrasted BRT travel on a separated guideway (Alternative A1) to BRT travel in the Express Toll Lanes (Alternatives A2 and A3). The guideway would be a major new structure running nearly 30 miles in length. Effects associated with such a substantial structure include potential effects to parks, open space, wetlands, right of way, and properties. Alternative A1 would also have substantial construction challenges and potential utility conflicts given the constrained nature of the existing I 405 rightof way. In contrast, Alternatives A2 and A3 would be implemented mostly within the existing I 405 right of way, and any associated potential effects have already been disclosed and accounted for as part of WSDOT s I 405 Corridor Master Plan. If the averages of the estimated Level 1 conceptual capital cost ranges are considered, then the cost for Alternative A1 was projected to be almost three times the cost of Alternative A3 and 30 percent higher than the cost of Alternative A2. Because Alternative A1 would be a new major structure it would require substantial right way beyond I 405 right of way limits. Right of way costs added further to the differential, with costs that were more than triple and more than 20 times those right of way costs for Alternatives A2 and A3, respectively. The costs for Alternatives A2 and A3 represent the incremental cost to implement BRT in the corridor. These alternatives may present an opportunity for cost sharing with WSDOT. In contrast, because the separated guideway is not a WSDOT project, the cost would be borne solely by Sound Transit. By the same token, sole ownership of the guideway facility would give Sound Transit exclusive runningway and control over operations, which would allow 60 mph speeds. WSDOT plans to use pricing to achieve 45 mph speeds at least 90 percent of the time in the shared Express Toll Lane facility. Alternative A1 would provide better reliability and travel time performance than the BRT alternatives operating within the Express Toll Lane system; however, the cost would be high and there would be substantial effects on adjacent property and the environment. Based on the Level 1 Evaluation findings, the following alternatives were carried forward into the Level 2 Evaluation: Alternative A2, Full I 405 Corridor Master Plan with BRT in Express Toll Lanes Design Option A, Trunk and Branch Service Design Option B, Single Route Service Design Option C, Serving North Renton Alternative A3, Phased I 405 Corridor Master Plan with BRT in Express Toll Lanes Design Option A, Trunk and Branch Service Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 21

38 Alternative A1 was not advanced into the Level 2 Evaluation because of its poor performance in the areas of capital costs, right of way effects that require substantial property acquisitions, and other potential effects to parks, wetlands and streams. In comparison, A1 achieved only minor benefits compared with Alternatives A2 and A3 in relation to the potential travel market and travel time performance measures. For these reasons A1 did not advance to the Level 2 Evaluation. 7 LEVEL 2 EVALUATION The Level 2 Evaluation considered 19 performance measures that were meant to supplement the analysis already conducted in the Level 1 Evaluation. Some of these measures were carried forward from Level 1 Evaluation for refinements (for example, travel time, ridership and cost), while others were new. The Level 2 measures are listed below, organized by Sound Transit Long Range Plan Update goal: Provide a Transportation System that Facilitates Long Term Mobility 1. Travel time 2. Ridership Enhance Communities and Protect the Environment 1. Potential effect on streams 2. Potential vibration effects 3. Potential noise effects 4. Potential visual effects 5. Potential effects on traffic operation 6. Potential access and parking effects Contribute to the Region s Economic Vitality 1. Development potential 2. Access to transit oriented development (TOD) 3. Potential effects on right of way/ properties Strengthen Communities Access to and Use of the Regional Transit Network 1. Connectivity to regional and local transit (bus/rail) networks 2. Ability to connect to downtown transit Develop a System that is Financially Feasible 1. Conceptual capital costs 2. Operations and maintenance costs 3. Construction challenges 4. Potential conflicts with major utilities 5. Cost per new project rider 6. Availability of land to construct a maintenance facility 22 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor

39 The key findings of the Level 2 Evaluation are presented in Section Description of Alternatives WSDOT developed the transportation master plan for the I 405 Corridor in the early 2000s (WSDOT, 2002). The I 405 Corridor Master Plan includes a variety of projects, including new general purpose and Express Toll Lanes 2 in each direction of I 405. By 2035, it is assumed that I 405 would be widened to accommodate an Express Toll Lane system throughout the corridor. The Express Toll Lane system would serve transit, HOVs, and single occupant vehicles (SOVs) that buy in to the Express Toll Lane system via electronic tolling. This transportation system is the foundation on which the I 405 Corridor HCT alternatives would operate. For the I 405 Corridor, the final alternatives are all assumed to be BRT operating in the Express Toll Lanes along I 405. The alternatives considered for the I 405 Corridor are shown in Exhibit 5. All Alternative A design options serve the same markets of Lynnwood, Kirkland, Bellevue, and Renton along I 405. Note that Alternative A1 was not carried forward into the final evaluation step; additional information may be found in Section 5, Background, of this report. Two levels of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan were considered in this study: full build out and phased build out. Phased build out assumes that only those I 405 BRT projects that are currently funded or have been identified as next priority projects by WSDOT are constructed. A complete discussion of the differences between the two levels of completion may be found in Section 5, Background. The three service concepts from the Level 1 Evaluation (and illustrated as Exhibit 4) were carried into the Level 2 Evaluation. The five alternatives are combinations of the two I 405 Corridor Master Plan build out options and the three service concepts. These are described in detail in the following sections, and briefly summarized in Table Alternative A2: Full I 405 Corridor Master Plan with Bus Rapid Transit in Express Toll Lanes Alternative A2 would include BRT travel on the I 405 dual Express Toll Lanes, which would be constructed throughout the corridor as part of the I 405 Corridor Master Plan (WSDOT, 2002). The Express Toll Lane system is assumed to operate at 45 miles per hour (mph). 3 This alternative assumes construction of the entire I 405 Corridor Master Plan, including key projects such as freeway to freeway HOV ramps between I 405 and Interstate 5 (I 5) in Lynnwood, direct access at SR 522, and in line stations at Canyon Park Park and Ride and Newport Hills Park and Ride. Direct access ramps would be constructed at Brickyard Park and 2 There would be two Express Toll Lanes in each direction separated from the general purpose lanes by a buffer. 3 WSDOT aims to maintain speeds of at least 45 mph in the ETL system at least 90 percent of the time. To be conservative in the analysis, 45 mph speeds were assumed during the peak period, and 52 mph speeds were assumed during the off peak period when congestion is reduced. Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor 23

40 Sound Transit Central/East High Capacity Transit Corridor Study Exhibit 5. Level 2 Alternatives 24 Corridor Report: I 405 Corridor