Prior to making any recommendation for light rail routing on the Eastside, residents should be assured the Lake Washington floating bridge can support a viable light rail system that has three or four-car trains every three or four minutes, carrying 12,000 to 16,000 riders per hour in both directions.

Failure to achieve the higher capacity dooms the Eastside to future bridge gridlock.

If Sound Transit confirms the bridge can support this higher capacity system, Eastside residents should demand a train link to the Eastgate P&R. This relatively short extension would merge with the main light rail line into Seattle from a downtown Bellevue location.

The Eastgate station would provide a direct connection into Seattle for Eastside residents living east of 405 along the 1-90 and south 405 corridors. All the Bellevue routes currently being studied severely limit access for those residents even though they are the ones most adversely affected by the loss of the HOV/bus lanes.

The Eastgate P&R also would serve as the terminus for most if not all of the current Eastside bus routes across Lake Washington, minimizing bridge and Seattle congestion. The two separate lines feeding into the system makes it possible to provide the train frequency required for a transit system that best meets the needs for all Eastside residents.

Bill Hirt

Bellevue