Mercer Island, Sound Transit Reach $10 Million Deal Over I-90 Access

MERCER ISLAND - Mercer Island and Sound Transit have reached a tentative agreement to end a legal battle over access to I-90. After a six-hour session on Wednesday night, the City Council and Sound Transit tentatively agreed to a deal that includes nearly $10 million from Sound Transit to pay for traffic and parking upgrades on the island.

In February, the City Council voted to sue Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation over access to I-90. One major issue for Mercer Island is access to HOV lanes. The I-90 express lanes will close for good this weekend to make way for light rail. To make up for taking away the express lanes, WSDOT is installing an HOV in either direction between Bellevue and Seattle. When the change happens, I-90 will be accessible via Island Crest Way only by HOV vehicles; single-occupancy cars won't be able to get on I-90 there.

Here are the details of the deal released by the city on Thursday afternoon:

• Transit Access and Safety: $5.3 million to address vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian access issues resulting from the closure of the Center Roadway or fund “last-mile solutions” that enable Islanders to access transit without driving.
• Parking: $4.6 million that will provide approximately 100 additional commuter parking stalls during the East Link construction period (2017-2023), and will fund construction of new commuter parking for residents.
• Bus-Rail Integration: No bus facility will be built on 80th Avenue - instead, all pick-up and drop-offs will continue to occur on North Mercer Way, as they do today, and bus volumes are comparable to today.

Earlier in May, the city had filed an injunction to stop the closure of express lanes along I-90. A hearing on the injunction was scheduled for Thursday, but has been cancelled.

The Sound Transit board still has to formally approve the deal.

Image Patch.com file photo