Bellevue City Council is scheduled to vote on an agreement Monday to bind the city and Sound Transit to pay for a downtown light-rail tunnel.

The council held its final public meeting before the Nov. 14 vote, an event that drew 49 speakers, talking in favor or against the proposed agreement. It was part of an extensive public outreach effort in recent weeks to encourage residents and others to weigh in on a blueprint to bring light rail to Bellevue.

On Sept. 26, some 62 people commented during a public hearing, and on Sept. 20, more than 200 people attended an open house at City Hall, where alignment options were displayed and attendees offered feedback.

The flurry of meetings is the culmination of years of public involvement and studies on East Link – by both Bellevue and Sound Transit – since a draft environmental impact statement was issued nearly three years ago, in December 2008.

Among other points, the agreement spells out how the city will make up to $160 million worth of contributions – such as properties, utility relocations or easements – toward the cost of a downtown light rail tunnel. The council unanimously supports a tunnel, but it’s significantly more expensive than a street-level alternative.

Also addressed in the agreement are issues such as permitting, how Bellevue and Sound Transit will collaborate on light rail design, and how the light rail route would run through Bellevue, particularly between Interstate 90 and downtown.

Councilmembers and residents who live near the proposed light rail route have expressed deep concern about traffic, noise, vibration and visual impacts from light rail. Last week, the council endorsed an alignment that includes an elevated crossing over 112th Avenue Southeast, near Southeast 15th Street, then runs in a trench along 112th Avenue north to a downtown tunnel.

Also written into the agreement are “off-ramp” provisions that allow both parties to terminate the agreement for a variety of reasons.

During a study session prior to the public hearing, the council again studied staff analysis on how to pay Bellevue’s share of the tunnel contribution. Funding options include eliminating or delaying projects from the current capital plan, dedicating part of future revenues with no change in current tax rates, raising new revenue through a property tax or business tax increase, or a combination of options.

Sound Transit’s Board of Directors has already authorized its chief executive officer to sign the agreement, barring significant changes, so the council’s decision on Monday will determine where and how East Link will be located in Bellevue. The council will also vote on a separate transit way agreement.

East Link is set to run from Seattle, through Bellevue, to the Overlake area of Redmond. Construction is forecast to begin by 2015 and service is expected to start by 2023.