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Open house will focus on potential East Link cost savings

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Sound Transit and the City of Bellevue will host an open house on April 3 for community members to review and comment on potential cost-saving ideas for the East Link light rail extension that runs through Bellevue. A final decision on route refinements is expected in April following further review by the Sound Transit Board and Bellevue City Council. 

Bellevue Cost Savings Open House 
4-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3
Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE, Bellevue

Since 2012 Sound Transit and the City of Bellevue have been working collaboratively to explore options for reducing the cost of the adopted East Link alignment. The collaboration, part of a November 2011 Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties that includes construction of a tunnel in downtown Bellevue, has focused on achieving cost savings.

Following earlier public meetings that took place in spring and fall 2012, the Sound Transit Board and Bellevue City Council are preparing to discuss which cost savings ideas become final.  

On March 26 Sound Transit is publishing an addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for East Link that was published in July 2011. The Addendum addresses the potential cost savings refinements to the project and will provide new project-related environmental information. The April 3 open house will give the public an opportunity to learn more about the cost savings ideas and the information in the addendum.  Public comments from the open house will be provided to the Bellevue City Council and Sound Transit Board.

In addition to the cost-saving ideas within the City of Bellevue, the addendum will cover further design of potential pedestrian and bike bridges over SR 520 at the Overlake Village Station and at the Overlake Transit Center Station, as well as an updated noise analysis for the future extension to downtown Redmond along SR 520. 

Visit Sound Transit's updated projects and plans website, www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans, for the most current information on Sound Transit projects throughout the region.