City Of Lake Forest Park: Help Save Bus Rapid Transit Along SR 522!

Press release from the City of Lake Forest Park:

July 15, 2021

WHAT'S HAPPENING
Systemwide, Sound Transit is seeing lower revenues than projected and higher costs than anticipated (mostly due to the pandemic). The Sound Transit Board and staff are going through a “realignment” process, meaning that they are looking to significantly delay some of the ST3 projects. Our 522 BRT (bus rapid transit) project could be one of the projects to be delayed to 2030 or beyond! That’s where you can help. The Sound Transit Board has not yet made a decision, but their discussions are ramping up. The preliminary recommendation is to have 522 BRT included in Tier 1, the category with the shortest delay. We need citizens to remind the Sound Transit Board all of the reasons why this BRT project must stay funded and stay in Tier 1 planning!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Before the July 22 meeting, write a letter to the Sound Transit Board urging them to keep 522 BRT on schedule and in Tier 1. You can send it to the board at emailtheboard@soundtransit.org.
Attend the July 22, 2021 Sound Transit Board meeting at 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. Sign up for public comment and state your support for 522 BRT. Find meeting information here.
The attached flyer has additional information and can give you some talking points in making the case for 522 BRT. Below is an example of a letter you could write to the Sound Transit Board.
IT'S EASY TO ADVOCATE!
The cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park and Shoreline are seeking interested community members to form a coalition of citizens and business leaders advocating for the timely delivery of the Sound Transit SR 522/NE145th Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Joining the coalition and advocating for this project will require a small time commitment with simple ways to show your support, such as signing letters or attending meetings.
Join the coalition email list:
Contact communications@kenmorewa.gov to be added.
Follow the coalition Facebook page: Facebook.com/522TransitNow
Letter Template:
DATE
Sound Transit Board
401 South Jackson Street
Seattle, WA 98104
RE: Stride 3 BRT from I-405 in Bothell to Light Rail in Shoreline
Dear Chair Keel and Members of the Board:
As you consider the ST3 realignment decisions in the coming weeks, we ask that you keep the Stride 3 BRT project from Bothell to Shoreline on schedule for the following reasons:
Early Deliverable. Stride 3 BRT is among the few projects that Sound Transit can put on the ground within a few years of when the voters approved ST3 in 2016. How will the public respond when we get to 2026, ten years after voter approval, and have nothing physical to show for it?
Under Budget. Stride 3 BRT is uniquely under budget. To boot, a substantial portion of the Stride 3 BRT lanes are already built, especially in Bothell and Kenmore.
Grass Roots Support. Back in 2016, north end residents and businesses came out in strong support for BRT. We attended many meetings in our yellow t-shirts and even gave their cause a name: 522 Transit Now! We are just as enthusiastic and passionate about this vital project today as we were five years ago.
Efficient. BRT is a low-cost way to move a lot of riders quickly. As demonstrated by Alex Kvenvolden’s May 14, 2021 article in the Seattle Transit Blog, BRT’s cost per mile is dramatically small compared to most other ST3 projects.
Connection to ST2 Light Rail. The Stride 3 BRT will provide a vital connection to the ST2 Light Rail Station on 148th in Shoreline, scheduled to begin service in 2024. Without BRT, how will riders coming from the east get to the 145th Street station? The parking planned for the 145th station pales in comparison to the riders that will be coming there.
Part of a Larger BRT System. Stride 3 is part of a larger BRT system designed to connect communities along Interstate 405 and State Route 522 to jobs and other key destinations. This efficient and low-cost mass transit system connects south, east, and north King County and works best as a unitary whole. It must remain whole and be delivered to the region in its entirety.
Thank you for all you do and for considering this urgent and most important request. For all the reasons above, Stride BRT is key to the system’s success and will inspire confidence in the public as they see an early win delivered on the ground and within striking distance of the original schedule.
Sincerely,

This press release was produced by the City of Lake Forest Park. The views expressed here are the author’s own.