WHEREAS, there is a desire among the parties and Sound Transit to add Sound Transit as the Regional Transit Authority with responsibility for High Capacity Transit as a signatory to this 2004 Amendment, but not to the underlying 1976 Agreement, given its role in the region generally and the I-90 Corridor specifically; and 

            WHEREAS, all parties recognize the I-90 facility as a key interstate corridor connecting the East and West Coasts, Eastern and Western Washington, and recognize its importance as a critical link between major urban centers in King County, and the only means of mobility to and from Mercer Island; and

WHEREAS, all parties acknowledge I-90 as a critical transportation link vital to the economy of the region and the state by providing for the movement of people and goods within the region; and

            WHEREAS, all parties agree that the current configuration and operation of I-90 between Bellevue, Mercer Island and Seattle does not address today’s demands and expected growth in the region; and a new configuration that helps move more people and goods is imperative to manage congestion on what is the busiest east-west corridor in the region; and

            WHEREAS, all parties recognize the importance of the environment and thereby seek to preserve and enhance its quality; and

            WHEREAS, all parties agree that the ultimate configuration for I-90 between Bellevue, Mercer Island and Seattle should be defined as High Capacity Transit in the center roadway and HOV lanes in the outer roadways; and further agree that High Capacity Transit for this purpose is defined as a transit system operating in dedicated right-of-way such as light rail, monorail, or a substantially equivalent system; and

WHEREAS, all parties agree to work cooperatively to secure funding at local, regional, state, and federal levels to fully fund both parts of the ultimate configuration of the “I-90 Corridor” (HOV lanes on the outer roadway and High Capacity Transit in the center roadway); and

            WHEREAS, all parties have studied many alternatives as participants on the Steering Committee for Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) I-90 Two-Way Transit and HOV Operations Project (Project), and all parties agree that building HOV lanes on the outer roadways as identified as Alternative R-8A as set forth in the May 21, 2004 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) prepared for the project, is an essential first step toward achieving the ultimate configuration; and

WHEREAS, all parties acknowledge that the ultimate configuration is consistent with the region’s transportation action plan, Destination 2030, which focuses on integrated multi-modal transportation systems; describing facilities that weave parts of the region together by crossing county or city boundaries or access major regional activity centers as critical to the region’s transportation system; and specifically calls for safety, maintenance and capacity investments on I-90 between I-5 and I-405; and high capacity transit in the “I-90 Corridor” between Seattle and Bellevue; and

WHEREAS, all parties agree that I-90 is an integral piece of the regional bike network, providing the only bicycle-pedestrian path across Lake Washington; that the preferred alternative maintains a ten foot bicycle lane as part of providing optimal multi-modal travel in the I-90 corridor for cyclists and pedestrians; and

WHEREAS, the Cities of Bellevue, Mercer Island and Seattle; King County; Sound Transit and the Washington State Transportation Commission, as participants of the I-90 Steering Committee, having conducted a thorough evaluation of the performance and benefits of the alternatives, agree that Alternative R-8A has been shown to improve regional mobility by providing reliable and safe two-way transit and high occupancy vehicle operations on I-90 between Bellevue, Mercer Island and Seattle, and mobility for Mercer Island, while minimizing impacts to the environment, to other users, and to other transportation modes; and is an essential first step toward implementing High Capacity Transit in the I-90 corridor;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the parties to this 2004 Amendment agree to the following principles regarding future development of the I-90 Corridor between Seattle and Bellevue:

1.       Alternative R-8A with High Capacity Transit deployed in the center lanes is the ultimate configuration for I-90 in this segment;

2.       Construction of R-8A should occur as soon as possible as a first step to the ultimate configuration;

3.       Upon completion of R-8A, move as quickly as possible to construct High Capacity Transit in the center lanes;

4.       Commit to the earliest possible conversion of center roadway to two-way High Capacity Transit operation based on outcome of studies and funding approvals. 

5.       Minimize construction impacts to the existing bicycle/pedestrian path, and maintain safe access to the path during construction;

6.       Maintain the existing width of the bicycle/pedestrian path and to install screen treatments to create a safe barrier between the path users and vehicular traffic; and

7.      To the extent of any loss of mobility to and from Mercer Island based on the outcome of studies, additional transit facilities and services such as additional bus service, parking available for Mercer Island residents, and other measures shall be identified and satisfactorily addressed by the Commission, in consultation with the affected jurisdictions pursuant to paragraph 14 of the Agreement, prior to the time the center roadway converts to High Capacity Transit.

Signed:

KING COUNTY

CITY OF MERCER ISLAND

CITY OF SEATTLE

CITY OF BELLEVUE

WASHINGTON STATE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

CENTRAL PUGET SOUND REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY