East Link is Sound Transit’s voter-approved project to expand light rail from downtown Seattle to the Eastside with stations serving Mercer Island, south Bellevue, downtown Bellevue, Bel-Red, and Redmond’s Overlake area. East Link will connect to the Link light rail system between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2009. Sound Transit is also conducting environmental review on a future extension to downtown Redmond.
The Sound Transit Board of Directors have identified a preferred route for extending light rail to Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond, with both tunnel and surface options in downtown Bellevue
The East Link preferred route
Read the Board Motion
The preferred East Link route runs approximately 18 miles east from downtown Seattle to Mercer Island and South Bellevue, crossing Lake Washington in center roadway of I-90. Under longstanding agreements with the state and local partners, the I-90 corridor is being readied for light rail by constructing new HOV lanes across the lake on the outer roadways, adding 24-hour HOV service both eastbound and westbound while preserving the existing number of general purpose lanes.
From South Bellevue the preferred route proceeds from I-90 north along Bellevue Way Southeast in a predominantly at-grade configuration, with a station serving South Bellevue neighborhoods. (DEIS Alternative B3 — 112th SE Bypass with modifications.)
In downtown Bellevue, the Board identified two preferred routes: a tunnel route (DEIS Alternative C3T — 108th Tunnel) as well as a surface route (DEIS Alternative C4A—At-grade Couplet). The Sound Transit 2 ballot measure that voters approved last year included funding for an at-grade or elevated alignment through downtown Bellevue. As Sound Transit moves forward with evaluating a more expensive tunnel alternative, it will work with the City of Bellevue through the remainder of 2009 to identify additional external funding sources that the Sound Transit Board may consider prior to the completion of the Final EIS. While a tunnel option could offer higher ridership than the at-grade or elevated alternatives evaluated in the Draft EIS, it is not financially feasible without additional funding sources.
From downtown Bellevue to Overlake Transit Center, the board identified a preferred route serving the Bel-Red corridor, Overlake Village and Microsoft’s campus, running in a combination of elevated and at-grade alignments located parallel and just to the north of Bel-Red Road. (DEIS Alternative D2A — NE 16th At-grade.)
While the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure does not fund a light rail segment between Overlake Transit Center and Redmond’s downtown areas, the Board identified a preferred route for a future connection that runs along State Route 520 and along the northern edge of Marymoor Park. (DEIS Alternative E2 — Marymoor.)
East Link Draft EIS
Sound Transit, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), published the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the East Link project on December 12, 2008. The Draft EIS describes the potential impacts and benefits of the light rail route, station and maintenance facility alternatives on the surrounding area.
The Draft EIS comment period lasted 75 days, which was expanded from the required 45-day period and ended on Feb. 25, 2009. In late January 2009, five public hearings with open houses were held in Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond. All together, over 500 people attended the open houses and met with project staff to answer questions about the alternatives and discuss the information in the Draft EIS. The Public and Agency Comment Summary is available. This document summarizes comments received on the East Link Project Draft EIS. It is intended to serve as a summary only; it is not intended to address every comment received. All the comments received and responses to those comments will be included in the Final EIS that is anticipated to be published in 2010.
Next Steps
The final route will be selected in 2010 based on additional evaluation as part of preparing a final environmental impact statement. East Link construction is envisioned to start in 2013 or 2014. Sound Transit is working to open light rail service to Bellevue in 2020 and to the Overlake area of Redmond in 2021.
Draft EIS
The Draft EIS is available for review at the links below.
Executive Summary, East Link Project Draft EIS 
(pdf, 9.6 mb)
East Link Project Draft EIS complete document in pdf format
The Draft EIS Executive Summary and a CD of the complete Draft EIS are available for free. A printed copy of the Draft EIS, drawings and technical reports are available for a nominal fee ($25 each for the Draft EIS or Drawing and Maps, and $15 for each technical report). Contact Elma Borbe at 206-398-5445 or elma.borbe@soundtransit.org to request copies of any environmental documents.
Sound Transit is committed to ensuring that communities are kept informed as the planning process unfolds. Current and background documents on the East Link project can be downloaded from the East Link Document Library >>>
Contact Us
Sound Transit staff is available to talk or meet with community members either one-on-one, in small groups or at neighborhood meetings to ensure communities have the most current and accurate project information. For questions or additional information regarding the East Link project, please contact Katie Kuciemba at 206-398-5459 or katie.kuciemba@soundtransit.org.
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