Light Rail Changes Upset Seattle Residents

Posted by: Nate Berg

2 January 2007 - 6:00am

Residents near Seattle are upset after transit officials altered plans for proposed extensions of the area's light rail system. Concerned citizens claim that the transit authority's decision to scrap two lines puts politics above effective service.

"The neighborhoods south of downtown have been most vocal about where they want the trains to go, and their preference is to run them near Interstate 405, either on 118th Avenue Southeast or an old rail corridor, and then perhaps through a tunnel under downtown."

"The transit board also decided to look at elevated, surface and tunnel routes downtown, and not just the tunnel options proposed by the Bellevue City Council. Transit officials said the added expense of a tunnel could mean dropping an extension of the line to downtown Redmond."

"Bellevue neighborhood leaders say they want the line to get to downtown Redmond, but not at the expense of their community."

Full Story: West Bellevue residents fault light-rail decision process

Source: The Seattle Times, December 30, 2006