Light Rail Best Practices Project - Introduction (Official City of Bellevue Website)

The Light Rail Best Practices Committee has completed its work and is no longer meeting.

Comments on the Committee's recommendations contained in the Final Committee Report are still welcome and will be forwarded to the Planning Commission and City Council. For agendas and information about upcoming Planning Commission meetings, please visit the Commission website. For agendas and information about upcoming City Council meetings, please visit the Council website.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, July 9, 6:30 p.m. at City Hall on the proposed Comprehnsive Plan Amendments recommended in the Final Committee Report. The Council is expected to act on the proposed amendments Monday, Aug. 4.

Final Committee Report, Report Appendices & Executive Summary

As Sound Transit considers the options for extending light rail through Bellevue and on to Redmond, the Mayor and Council members want Bellevue to learn from the “best practices” of other communities with light rail systems. They also want the city to be in a position to influence decisions that will be Rendering of light rail line crossing Lake Washington alongside I-90. made by the Sound Transit Board regarding the location, design and operation of light rail in Bellevue.

Starting in July of 2007 and continuing through June of 2008, a committee comprised of members from four city boards and commissions, along with a Council liaison, worked with city staff and a consultant on the following tasks:

Provide direction to and review of the staff and consultant work on the Best Practices technical study;
Engage the public in a dialogue that provides information about how other jurisdictions have implemented light rail and how to apply those lessons to Bellevue;
Create a “catalog” of best practices and outcomes from other jurisdictions that the Committee identifies as desirable for light rail implementation in Bellevue; and
Based on “lessons learned,” develop guiding principles and policy recommendations, including draft Comprehensive Plan amendments, for consideration by the City Council.

The draft policies generated by the Light Rail Best Practices project are expected to address a range of issues about light rail design, construction, operation and mitigation, in order to maximize local opportunities and minimize local impacts. The Committee will not draw any conclusions about specific light rail routing or station locations, but its recommendations will ultimately assist the community and City Council in evaluating and determining Bellevue’s light rail routing preferences.

Contact Information

Light Rail Best Practices Committee
Bellevue, WA 98009
E-mail

Light Rail Best Practices
450 110th Ave. NE
P.O. Box 90012
Bellevue, WA 98009
Contact: Mike Kattermann, Planning project manager
Phone: 425-452-2042
E-mail
Contact: Maria Koengeter, Transportation Project Manager
Phone: 425-452-4345
E-mail