East Link’s Bel-Red design progress to be featured at March 28 open house

First of many involvement opportunities as East Link final design process gets underway

On March 28 the City of Bellevue and Sound Transit will host an open house offering community members a chance to check out the latest design work for the Bel-Red segment of the East Link light rail extension. 

East Link Bel-Red Open House
4-7 p.m. Thursday, March 28 - Presentation at 5:30 p.m.
Highland Community Center, 14224 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue

East Link's final design process will move the project's design from a current level of approximately 30 percent to 100 percent completion before the planned launch of construction in 2015. The process will offer many opportunities for residents, neighborhood organizations, property owners and businesses to get involved. Open houses will offer opportunities for community members to learn about, and comment on, designs and permanent station names, and more.

The area that will be the focus of this open house is generally bounded by Bel-Red Road on the south, SR-520 on the north, 116th Avenue Northeast on the west, and 140th Avenue Northeast on the east. It also includes two stations planned at 120th Avenue Northeast and 130th Avenue Northeast along the future Northeast 15th /Northeast 16th Street.

The City will display concurrent transportation projects that are under design in coordination with the light rail final design in the Bel-Red area. There will also information about the city's station area planning. 

In addition to open houses this spring on other sections of the alignment there will be future final design open houses at roughly the 60 percent and 90 percent levels of design completion.

East Link will dramatically improve public transit access to and from locations in East King County, with light rail providing fast and reliable service. A trip from Bellevue Transit Center to downtown Seattle will take 20 minutes irrespective of roadway congestion. A trip to Overlake Transit Center will take 10 minutes and a trip to the airport 55 minutes.

By 2023 East Link is scheduled to be connected to a regional light rail system that stretches more than 50 miles following work to extend existing service north and south in addition to east. More than 50,000 riders are projected to ride East Link every day by 2030.