1) Will this project remove the Mercer Island single vehicle access to the center HOV lanes?

No. I-90 Two Way Transit and HOV Operations Project will not remove the Mercer Island single occupancy vehicle access to the center roadway.

2) When will the construction begin and end?  How long will it take?

The Stage 1 improvements, which will provide a new HOV lane in the westbound outer roadway between Bellevue Way and 80^th Avenue on Mercer Island including a new HOV direct access ramp at 80^th Avenue, will start construction in Spring 2007 and is expected to be completed within two years.

3) Will either of the West Mercer entrance or exit ramps be closed during construction?

Only the West Mercer entrance ramp will be affected by Stage 1 construction. An existing retaining wall adjacent to the ramp will be reconstructed to allow for shoulder widening and a stormwater biofiltration swale adjacent to the westbound mainline between the west portal of First Hill Lid and the floating bridge.  During construction, the existing HOV bypass lane will be closed to provide the Contractor an adequate working area to reconstruct the retaining wall.  One lane will remain open to all traffic at all times, except for a limited number of closures during overnight periods to allow the contractor to setup and remove temporary traffic control.

Neither West Mercer Way ramp will be closed during Stage 2 construction.  

4) How will this project affect air pollution, will there be increased amounts, and how will it be mitigated?

An air quality study done for the I-90 Two Way Transit EIS indicated there would be no adverse impacts to air quality as a result of the construction or operation of this project. During construction, standard controls would be implemented to reduce any impacts including covering soil/materials during transport and spraying water or other dust suppressant on bare surfaces to control dust emissions.

5) Won’t this improvement just encourage and attract more cars and thus more congestion to the I-90 corridor?

The traffic analyses prepared for the project's EIS indicate that relative to the No-Build Alternative, daily traffic volumes will likely increase with the added capacity represented by the new HOV lanes in the I-90 outer roadways.  However, overall congestion as measured by hours of congestion would likely be reduced. 

6) How was the project approved and is the project fully funded?

Sound Transit was created by the state legislature to build a mass transit system that connects regional employment and population centers in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.  The agency was legally formed in 1993, when the Councils in the three counties voted to participate in the authority.  In November 1996, voters in the urban areas of those counties approved local taxes to build the first phase of that system. Today, the cornerstones of that system are in place.  The I-90 Two-Way Transit and HOV Operations Project was included in the 1996 Sound Move vote that was approved.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued its Record of Decision (ROD) this past September, agreeing with Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation that Alternative R-8A was the best choice for safe and reliable two-way transit and carpool lanes on Interstate 90 between Seattle and Bellevue.  The I-90 Two Way Transit and HOV Operations Project is being implemented in stages that have standalone transit and transportation benefits as funding becomes available. 

For further information about the project, please click here.