RapidRide K Winter Updates

Map of Chosen RapidRide K alignment through downtown Bellevue

Bellevue City Council met late November and were shown a presentation for the locally preferred alternative by King County Metro for RapidRide K route. Previous alternatives for RapidRide K around Bellevue were discussed in July 2024, while the alignments in Kirkland were mostly already decided.

Chosen Alignment

Back in July 2024, King County Metro (KCM) asked Bellevue for feedback on which alignment to take through downtown Bellevue.

Map of potential RapidRide K station locations in Downtown BellevueMap of potential RapidRide K station locations south of Downtown Bellevue

There were two choices to reach Bellevue Transit Center

1. 108th Ave NE is farther and harder to reach the Downtown Bellevue Link Station though with only general lanes is slightly faster than 110th Ave NE. With BAT lanes, 108th Ave NE northbound transit times remains faster. ¹
2. 110th Ave NE is closer and has easier transfers to the Link Station but slightly slower than 108th Ave NE with only general lanes. 110th Ave NE with BAT lanes has southbound transit times faster than 108th Ave NE with BAT lanes.

KCM proposed using the 110th Ave NE after survey feedback since most desired closer transfers to the Downtown Bellevue Link Station. Specifically the 68% of the public surveyed preferred 110th Ave NE (of those who didn't select no preference'). KCM proposed some BAT lanes to mitigate the travel time concerns discussed in detail a bit further.

South of downtown Bellevue there were again two choices to cross I-405.

1. Main St is shorter and reaches small pockets of offices along 116th Ave SE
2. 112th Ave SE is slightly longer and reaches East Main Link Station as well as the office parks along SE 8th St.

The second Main St route was chosen mostly because the former 110th Ave NE alignment was selected.

Proposed BAT Lanes

A couple various speed and reliability treatments, such as dedicated bus-only lanes, were initially considered. However, Bellevue staff asked King County Metro to limit potential capital projects to BAT lanes to balance" potential impacts to general purpose traffic.

Proposed BAT lane treatments

Some of the proposed BAT lanes were from the 2014 transit master plan, and some additional ones were added to make the project more competitive for FTA funding. Most of the proposed BAT lanes are converted general right-most lanes, though two sections would be created by widening the road.

• 116th Avenue NE northbound, from NE 10th Street to NE 12th Street. This project would implement a BAT lane by widening the roadway from NE 10th Street to Felix Terry Swistak Drive NE.
• NE 10th Street westbound, from SR-520 onramp to 110th Avenue NE. The existing outside lane would operate as a BAT lane.
• NE 10th Street eastbound, from 110th Avenue NE to 116th Avenue NE. The existing outside lane would operate as a BAT lane.
• 110th Avenue NE northbound, from NE 6th Street to NE 10th Street.
  • From NE 6th Street to NE 8th Street: The existing outside lane would operate as a BAT lane between,
  • From NE 8th Street to NE 10th Street: The existing parking lane would operate as a BAT lane.
• 110th Avenue NE southbound, from NE 10th Street to NE 4th Street.
  • From NE 10th Street to NE 9th Street: The existing parking lane would operate as a BAT lane.
  • From NE 9th Street to NE 8th Street: The existing outside lane would operate as a BAT lane.
  • From NE 8th Street to NE 6th Street: A new outside lane being built by development would operate as a BAT lane.
  • From NE 6th Street to NE 4th Street: The existing outside lane between would operate as a BAT lane.
• Main Street westbound and eastbound, from 110th Avenue NE to 116th Avenue NE. The existing outside lanes would operate as a BAT lane.

KCM provided a full list of 15 Speed & Reliability improvements for RapidRide K in the City of Bellevue to approve as well. Some prominent ones in addition to the ones described earlier are:

• 108th Ave NE (Southbound) at Northup Way: Bus-Only Left Turn Lane from right lane
• 145th Place SE at Kelsey Creek Road/24th Street: Convert to roundabout (high cost)
• 116th Ave NE (Northbound) at Northup Way: Bus-Only Left Turn Lane

Federal Funding timelines and Conclusion

KCM will ask the Bellevue and Kirkland City Councils to provide letters in support of the LPA in March 2025. KCM must have the cities' letters to be able to apply for FTA (Federal Transit Administration) funding for the RapidRide K Line.

Bellevue City Council might not approve the KCM proposed alignment given that in July the council highlighted some objections to using the 110th Ave NE alignment for transit treatments previously and preferred 108th Ave NE. From traffic analysis, both 110th Ave NE and 108th Ave NE have similar traffic volume counts.² The Main Street BAT lanes seemingly had large council favorability.

1. Section regarding 108th Ave NE vs 110th Ave NE was slightly clarified from information from King County Metro explaining that with BAT lanes 110th Ave NE is faster southbound.
2. Added clarification that both streets have around the same traffic volume