By John Marchione, Claudia Balducci, Fred Butler
With more than 10 unique cities, nearly half a million people and a diverse and thriving portfolio of businesses, east King County has rapidly become one of the nation’s most sought-after places to live, raise a family and work.
As mayors of the cities of Redmond, Bellevue and Issaquah, and as Sound Transit Board members, we have seen how east King County and our entire three-county region is positioned to grow, thrive and succeed. We know how interconnected our cities are, with people traveling between cities to get to jobs, school, health care and recreation, and how important it is to be able to travel throughout the Puget Sound region.
It is time for east King County residents to come together and help shape a Sound Transit 3 ballot measure for voters to consider as soon as November 2016.
After much work, Sound Transit will soon break ground on a 10-station East Link light rail line. When this project opens in less than eight years it will offer east King County residents and employees fast, frequent and reliable light rail connections throughout the region.
But we know we need to continue to expand our regional transit system. We must prepare our cities and region for what’s ahead. And what’s ahead is more growth. It is estimated that nearly a million additional residents and a million new jobs will locate in the greater Puget Sound region by 2040. In a region that will grow 30 percent in 25 years, there is no single solution to traffic congestion. However, high-capacity transit is the most effective way to address the clogged roadways we have available. We know that inaction and delay only result in worse congestion, worse air quality and a reduced quality of life.
We can only meet these demands by thinking, planning and acting together, as one region. The demand already exists. We have heard loud and clear that citizens need additional regional transit options, including completing the East Link light rail line to downtown Redmond; building light rail from Totem Lake to Issaquah via Bellevue; adding Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on I-405 as long envisioned in the master plan; and adding express bus service and other infrastructure to allow us to travel between our homes and cities in east King County, as well as throughout our region.
Other regions we compete with for workforce talent and business recruitment are providing investments for moving people and goods. The Puget Sound region must continue to invest in our transit system.
We need your help developing the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure. Through July 8 take an online survey at soundtransit3.org or join Sound Transit at any of a number of public meetings to discuss future transit needs, goals and projects in our region. You can learn more at soundtransit3.org. We invite you to participate in helping us ensure a strong, vibrant and prosperous future for years to come. Sound Transit is briefing Eastside groups on efforts to shape the ballot measure. If your group would like to hear from Sound Transit, please call (206) 903-7000.
John Marchione is the Mayor of Redmond. Claudia Balducci is the Mayor of Bellevue. Fred Butler is the Mayor of Issaquah. All three serve on the Sound Transit Board of Directors.
