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IV.  RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS

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This TE presents recommended improvement projects within the jurisdiction of the County, WSDOT, various incorporated cities, and three transit operating agencies (Community Transit, Everett Transit and Sound Transit). The array of improvements recommended for the County during the 2015-2035 timeframe are described in terms of their type of improvement, location, programming category and total project cost where available.

A.  County’s Approach to Arterial Road Needs and Improvements
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The County participates in providing a countywide transportation system along with cities, towns, transit agencies, and WSDOT. This system is multimodal in that it provides facilities supporting automobiles, buses, pedestrians, bicyclists, ferries and rail vehicles. The County’s primary transportation responsibilities relate to improving and maintaining county roads. However, county roadways can be designed and maintained to accommodate multiple modes of travel.

The transportation improvement recommendations presented here are consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the GPP, particularly those relating to both land use and transportation. These recommendations should enhance the opportunity for an integrated, multimodal transportation system that will adequately serve Snohomish County through the year 2035. State, regional, and city projects are also identified where they are needed to ensure a consistent and coordinated regional transportation system.

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The County’s evaluation process for county arterials begins once a traditional travel modeling and forecasting effort provides estimates of future travel demand based on the FLUM. The evaluation process identifies roadway needs and the corresponding improvement projects aimed at maintaining the adopted LOS standard on county arterials. This is accomplished through three major steps, described below.

Step 1:County arterials are screened by using modeled vehicular travel forecasts for 2035 to determine which roadways may experience LOS problems during either the a.m. or p.m. system peak hour periods. These traffic forecasts for county arterials are contained in Appendix E, Traffic Forecasts for Snohomish County Arterial Units. County arterials that present an adequate LOS in 2035 are identified as having no need for capacity improvement. If a potential LOS problem is identified for 2035, the facility is earmarked for an improvement that will enhance capacity and improve LOS.

Step 2:All county arterials are additionally reviewed to determine if they need improvements that are critical to highway/arterial system continuity, connections and access to developing areas. Arterials that are not expected to have LOS problems and do not represent critical gaps in the roadway system, are not selected for a major capacity-related improvement, and are not subject to any further analysis. In addition, county arterials that are at their final design standard, and not subject to capacity-related improvement, are also set aside in terms of further consideration.

Step 3:For county arterials that show a potential LOS problem or critical system need for 2035, improvement projects are identified that, as much as practicable, would resolve the identified problem. One of the following types of improvement projects is then applied to address the problems.

Widening of an Existing Arterial Road (W)– project improvements that increase capacity and enhance traffic flow and safety on a county arterial by widening the existing roadway. A widening project includes all or some of the following improvements: widening of existing lanes, adding through and/or turn lanes, adding/widening shoulders, adding walkways, introducing channelization and implementing traffic control and signalization. The primary intent of these improvements is to increase arterial capacity, improve traffic operations and enhance safety in order to adequately and safely serve existing and future vehicular traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians on the arterial; have a positive effect on LOS and area-wide traffic circulation; mitigate congestion on other arterials and serve developing areas of the county.

New Arterial Road Alignment (N)– project improvements that entail construction of an arterial roadway or the extension of an existing roadway across a new alignment. The primary intent of these improvements is to increase arterial capacity, relieve congestion on existing arterials, serve developing areas of the county, and have a positive effect on area-wide traffic circulation.

Intersection Improvements (IS)– project improvements at an arterial roadway intersection that increase intersection capacity and enhance traffic flow and safety. An intersection project includes all or some of the following improvements: adding turn lanes/pockets, widening existing lanes on intersection approaches, constructing roundabouts, adding/widening shoulders, adding walkways, introducing channelization and implementing traffic control and signalization.

To help identify state transportation system needs, the state highways in Snohomish County were evaluated in a manner similar to that described above for county arterials. Forecasted travel demand from the travel model was used to estimate traffic impacts to state-owned transportation facilities and gauge future potential LOS deficiencies and needs on the state system. The state highways were evaluated using modeled vehicular travel forecasts for 2035 and the adopted LOS standards for HSS and non-HSS described earlier to determine which highways may have LOS problems during either the a.m. or p.m. system peak hour periods. Traffic forecasts for state highways in Snohomish County are contained in Appendix F, Traffic Forecasts for State Highways.

The identified needs for the state transportation system and the county arterials differ in an important way. The state highways are under WSDOT’s jurisdiction. Consequently, the state highways with future potential LOS deficiencies are not earmarked for improvement projects and subjected to further analysis as the county arterials were in Steps 2 and 3 above.

B.  Recommended County Arterial Road Improvements
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Snohomish County, after careful study, recommends a number of county arterial improvements over the next 20 years. The County’s plan for these improvements, when presented in combination with city, state and transit operating agency plans, shows a balanced investment in the various modes such as automobile, freight, transit, pedestrian, and bicycle. Importantly, the scope of improvements to county roads, state highways and city streets often includes pedestrian, bicycle and transit-supportive features that enhance design and operating conditions for all modes of travel. When the multi-agency and long-range improvements are combined with the implementation measures presented earlier in Chapter III, this TE satisfies GMA requirements (RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(F)) and achieves consistency with CWPPs.

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The County’s arterial improvements are likely to be needed in stages over the next 20 years to adequately serve the county’s land use element under the comprehensive plan and support the multimodal transportation system serving Snohomish County. The Arterial Circulation Map (Map 1) presents the recommended roadway circulation network that includes county arterial roadways and state highways. The Arterial Circulation Map shows the expanse and coverage of county roadways and state highways and their functional classes. Arterials are classified as an interstate, freeway/expressway, principal arterial, minor arterial, major collector, or minor collector. Non-arterial roads are classified as local roads, these functional classes are described in more detail below.

All roadways maintained by the County have been classified for funding purposes using the federal functional classification system, which reflects the function, traffic levels and composition, roadway and streetscape design, access, and frontage improvements required for development and guides programming of roadway improvements. County roadways are classified as principal arterial, minor arterial, major collector, minor collector or local access road on the Arterial Circulation Map.

Interstate:Limited access, divided highways linking major urban areas.

Freeway/Expressway:Directional travel lanes usually separated by a physical barrier with limited access and egress points (on- and off-ramps or very limited number of at-grade intersections). Abutting land uses are not directly served by freeways/expressways.

Principal Arterial:Roadways serving major centers of metropolitan areas and providing a high degree of mobility. Abutting land uses can be served directly by principal arterials via driveways or at-grade intersections.

Minor Arterial:Roadways providing intra-community continuity and connectivity to the higher arterial system. Minor arterials provide a greater level of access to abutting land uses than principal arterials.

Major Collector:Roadways funneling traffic from local roads to the arterial network and providing a high level of property access. Major collectors are generally longer, have more travel lanes, have lower connecting driveway densities, have higher speed limits, and carry higher traffic volumes than minor collectors.

Minor Collector:Roadways funneling traffic from local roads to the arterial network and providing a high level of property access. Minor collectors are generally shorter, have fewer travel lanes, have higher connecting driveway densities, have lower speed limits, and carry lower traffic volumes than major collectors.

All roads not classified as any of the preceding categories are called local roads. Local roads primarily provide access to abutting land uses and connect traffic to the higher collector and arterial roadway network.

Table 13 summarizes county arterial mileage by functional class. Total arterial mileage within Snohomish County, excluding arterials within City boundaries, is approximately 808. The mileage shown in Table 13 only includes state highways and county arterials.

Table 13 County Arterial Mileage by Functional Classification

Functional Classification

Arterial Mileage

Interstate

45

Freeway/Expressway

16

Principal Arterial

214

Minor Arterial

183

Major Collector

152

Minor Collector

184

Recommended Principal Arterial

6

Recommended Minor Arterial

1

Recommended Major Collector

2

Recommended Minor Collector

5

TOTAL

808

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The expenditure or cost values presented in this TE are “planning-level” cost estimates for proposed county arterial improvement projects. The cost estimates are in year-of-expenditure (YOE) dollars. In other words, a project’s current estimated cost is adjusted for inflation by inflating current dollars to the forecasted year of construction. The cost estimates are derived from the County’s TNR cost-estimating model, except for certain widening projects and intersection improvement projects. For widening projects programmed for completion in the ACP/TIP, the cost estimates are derived from the ACP/TIP. For intersection improvement projects, the cost estimates are based on analysis of actual costs for this type of project. The TNR cost-estimating model is based on several attributes of the project under consideration, including such factors as:

the roadway’s functional classification;

terrain;

number of traffic signals;

additional pavement width required;

the amount of existing curb; gutter and sidewalk;

wetlands that need to be replaced (1.5 replacement ratio);

bridges;

engineering;

water drainage and detention;

additional right-of-way required; and

type of land use on either side of the roadway (i.e., value of land).

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The recommended list of county arterial improvement projects are presented by Table 14. These projects are shown on Figures 6 and 7. The projects in Table 14 include:

18 projects which would widen existing arterial roads,

four which would construct new arterial roads,

21 intersection projects, and

stand-alone pedestrian projects.

Regarding the intersection projects, seven intersection improvement projects are specifically identified and three “programmatic” line items are included for intersection improvement projects that the county anticipates will be needed by 2021, 2028, and 2035, even though specific intersections are yet to be identified. These intersections (14 in total) will be identified through the county’s ongoing CMS and programmed for design and construction within the ACP/TIP.

Three programmatic line items are also included for stand-alone pedestrian improvement projects that the county anticipates will be needed by 2021, 2028, and 2035 to provide connectivity to major transit routes and school facilities. These pedestrian projects will be programmed for design and construction within the ACP/TIP.

In addition to a project’s basic attributes, Table 14 shows the YOE cost and the projected year of construction completion used in calculating YOE dollars. For the purpose of calculating YOE costs, all projects were assigned one of the following three completion dates: 2021, 2028, or 2035. The projects in Table 14 are grouped by completion date.

Table 14 Recommended County Arterial Improvement Projects

Completion Date

TSA

ID

Road Name

From

To

Description

YOE Cost ($1,000)

2021

A

W-17

88 St NE (City of Marysville)

44 Dr NE

61 Dr NE

Joint project with Marysville (lead) - Urban 3-Lane Standards

2,855

A

IS-6

140 St NE/23 Ave NE intersection

Full intersection improvements

3,498

C/E

IS-5

Broadway Ave/164 St SE/Elliot Rd intersections

Full intersection improvements

3,498

D

W-5

180 St SE

SR 527

Brook Blvd

Urban 5-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

6,089

D

W-12

Ash Wy

164 St SW

Gibson Rd

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

32,646

D

W-1

Seattle Hill Rd

35 Ave SE

132 St SE (SR 96)

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

13,325

D/E

W-2

35 Ave SE

180 St SE

Seattle Hill Rd

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

20,682

D/E/F

W-3

35 Ave SE/39 Ave SE/York Rd

SR 524 (Maltby Rd)

180 St SE

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

21,878

F

IS-3

Larch Wy/Locust Wy/Logan Rd intersection

Full intersection improvements

3,498

F

IS-1

Lockwood Rd/Carter Rd roundabout

Install roundabout

3,498

N/A

IS-2021

To be determined programmatically

Full intersection improvements @ 3 intersections

10,494

N/A

PED-2021

To be determined programmatically

Stand-alone pedestrian projects to provide connectivity to major transit routes and school facilities

7,200

2021 Subtotal

129,161

2028

A

IS-7

67 Ave NE/152 St NE intersection

Full intersection improvements

4,371

D

W-9

36 Ave W/35 Ave W

164 St SW

SR 99

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

14,686

D

N-3

148 St SW

Jefferson Wy

Ash Way

New Road - Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

21,579

D

W-8

148 St SW

35 Ave W

Jefferson Wy

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

14,075

D

W-6

180 St SE

Brook Blvd

35 Ave SE

Urban 5-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

18,277

E

N-5

43 Ave SE

196 St SE

200 St SE

New Road - Rural 2-Lane Standards

3,876

E

N-4

Sunset Rd/43 Ave SE Connector

End of Sunset Rd (Rd # 21755)

43 Ave SE at 184 St SE

New Road - Urban 2-Lane Standards with Pedestrian Facilities

3,320

E/F

W-4

39 Ave SE

228 St SE

207 St SE

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

22,442

F

W-21

228 St SE

35 Ave SE

39 Ave SE

Urban 4 or 5-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities & intersection improvements at 35 & 39 Ave SE

10,352

F

IS-2

Lockwood Rd/Locust Wy intersection

Full intersection improvements

4,371

F

IS-4

Logan Rd/Damson Rd intersection (SW of Hubbard Rd)

Full intersection improvements

4,371

F

W-15

Poplar Wy

Lynnwood C/L

Larch Wy

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

12,189

N/A

IS-2028

To be determined programmatically

Full intersection improvements @ 4 intersections

17,484

N/A

PED-2028

To be determined programmatically

Stand-alone pedestrian projects to provide connectivity to major transit routes and school facilities

9,000

2028 Subtotal

160,393

2035

D

W-10

Alderwood Mall Parkway

164 St SW

SR 525 SB On/Off Ramps

Urban 5-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities from 164th St to SR 525 NB on/off ramps & signal at SR 525 SB on/off ramps

13,375

D

W-13

Gibson Rd

Ash Wy

SR 99

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

13,788

D

W-16

Manor Wy

148 St SW

SR 99

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

28,836

D

W-11

Manor Wy

164 St SW

148 St SW

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

23,323

E

W-7

180 St SE

35 Ave SE

51 Ave SE

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

24,019

F

N-1

14 Ave W

Locust Wy

220 St SW

New Road - Urban 2-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

11,360

F

W-14

Larch Wy

212 St SW

Cypress Wy

Urban 3-Lane Standards with Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

27,564

N/A

IS-2035

To be determined programmatically

Full intersection improvements @ 7 intersections

38,682

N/A

PED-2035

To be determined programmatically

Stand-alone pedestrian projects to provide connectivity to major transit routes and school facilities

10,800

2035 Subtotal

191,747

TOTAL

481,301

FIGURE 6 Recommended County Arterial Improvements – South Map

FIGURE 7 Recommended County Arterial Improvements – North Map

Table 15 summarizes YOE costs at each of the assigned completion dates (2021, 2028, and 2035). All costs shown are in millions of dollars ($1,000,000).

Table 15 Summary of YOE Costs by Completion Date
for Recommended County Arterial Improvement Projects

Completion Date

YOE Cost ($Millions)

2021

129

2028

160

2035

192

Total

481

The arterial improvement recommendations presented by Table 14 are intended to address LOS and concurrency problems that will likely arise during the 20-year timeframe of the GMA comprehensive plan. The arterial road improvements are part of the county’s contribution toward a much larger set of transportation improvements planned by other governmental agencies, which will serve and accommodate forecasted growth. Capital and operations-related contributions toward the greater transportation system by other governmental agencies will serve to support the county’s adopted land use plan and aid in efforts to plan for growth. The next section presents the major transportation capital and operations improvements that WSDOT, cities, Community Transit, and Sound Transit will be pursuing during the life of this TE.

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Snohomish County is served by a network of freeway and principal arterials planned and operated by WSDOT. These highways extend throughout the county and provide the continuity necessary to support the entire county roadway system. Table 2, back in Chapter I, provides a listing of state highways within the County and identifies which highways are designated HSS (statewide significance) and which are non-HSS (regionally significant).

The regional mobility and local access enjoyed within Snohomish County depends to a large extent on the existence and performance of state highways. It would be difficult to maintain a tolerable LOS on county roads and city streets, if delay and congestion deteriorates to unacceptable levels on the state highway network, as traffic would shift from the state system to the local system to avoid delay. Community Transit and Sound Transit maintain local and express bus routes that travel extensively on state highways. Congestion and delay on state highways also means longer travel times for transit and thus the potential for lost passengers and revenue.

Appendix B presents various improvements to state highways within Snohomish County that are supportive of the county’s comprehensive plan. The list of state highway improvement projects shown in Appendix B was developed in consultation with WSDOT and it is consistent with Transportation 2040. This list includes only those state highway projects that are included in Transportation 2040’s financially constrained plan (forecasted expenditures and revenues are in balance). (ref. 6)

Snohomish County will cooperate with WSDOT and cities to ensure the functional integrity of state highways is maintained as growth occurs throughout the county. The county will also provide assistance and support to WSDOT’s efforts at employing access management techniques on state highways (i.e., SR 9 and SR 527). Techniques employed could include but are not limited to: adequate signal spacing; limits on new intersection and driveway accesses; use of channelization and raised medians; and construction of frontage roads.

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Various cities are proposing to enhance capacity and traffic flow on city streets by significantly widening lanes, adding through and/or turn lanes, adding walkways, improving positive guidance and implementing traffic control revisions. The primary intent of these improvements is to enhance existing street capacity in order to safely and efficiently handle existing and future traffic on city streets. A secondary benefit to Snohomish County is that many of these city street improvements will help handle traffic generated by the county’s planned land use and the associated growth.

Appendix C presents various improvements to city streets to serve the city’s planned land use and that are supportive of the county’s comprehensive plan. The list of city projects was developed by selecting projects from the most currently available Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and long range transportation plans for each jurisdiction. The projects had to meet the criteria of having lane capacity expansions, new roads, or street extensions to be placed on the list. Appendix C also includes four tribal road improvement projects.

E.  Supportive Public Transportation Improvements
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Public transportation services and facilities provide support to the county’s plans for land use by offering the public additional choices for travel. Use of public transportation tends to reduce the demand for travel by automobile, thereby mitigating traffic congestion in some of the county’s major corridors. Transit facilities and services are expected to change significantly with the arrival of Sound Transit’s (ST) Link light rail and the expansion of Community Transit’s (CT) Swift BRT.

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The primary providers of public transportation services in the County are CT, Everett Transit (ET), ST, and Washington State Ferries (WSF). King County Metro, Skagit Transit, and Island Transit also provide limited service within the County. Tulalip Transit provides rural public transportation within the Tulalip Tribes Reservation. Along with providing transit services, these public transit agencies provide transit planning and construction of transit facilities within the county in cooperation with Snohomish County, PSRC, WSDOT, local cities, and, to a limited extent, the port authorities. Transit agencies are required to annually adopt a six-year Transit Development Plan (TDP) that include capital improvements, significant changes in service and operations, and funding for program needs. A map of the transit services in Snohomish County is provided in the Inventory of Transportation Facilities and Services.

The County participates on an ongoing basis in coordinated planning with the transit agencies in a variety of ways, including guidance in route planning, advice on transit service compatibility with land use, and providing input to transit capital planning. Importantly, the County seeks input on proposed roadway improvements and seeks CT’s review of medium to large-scale land use development proposals where impacts to transit are determined.

Snohomish County also participates in major planning activities with the transit agencies including: development of CT’s transit development plan and Long Range Transit Plan; review of the other transit agencies’ transit development plans and planning documents; continued implementation of Swift BRT on SR 99; planning for future BRT service; and ongoing participation in ST’s planning and feasibility studies including the planning of Link light rail into Snohomish County. From this work, future transit service improvements that support the County’s preferred 2035 land use and transportation strategies are derived.

a.  Community Transit

CT provides fixed-route bus, paratransit (Dart), vanpool, and transportation demand management (TDM) services to most of Snohomish County. The 2016-2021 Transit Development Plan (TDP) forecasts a 40 percent increase in bus service hours through 2021. The TDP includes the development of a second Swift BRT line along a possible alignment running from Paine Field to Canyon Park via Airport Rd, 128th St, SR 96, and SR 527 to begin operation in 2019. In addition, the TDP anticipates a third Swift BRT route operating in the 164th St/196th St corridors. This tentative third Swift route would begin operation in 2023 in time to serve the new Sound Transit light rail station in Lynnwood. The TDP discusses additional integration of CT bus service with ST’s Link light rail when it begins operation in Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood in 2023. Some CT express routes currently serving downtown Seattle will be duplicated by the new light rail service. The transit service hours from these redundant routes will be reallocated to meet the increased demand on local routes serving the new Link stations. (ref. 27)

CT has also adopted a Long Range Transit Plan (LRTP) that articulates the agency’s 20 year vision built around a corridor-based system. (ref. 14) In developing the plan, Community Transit worked with Snohomish County and the cities to identify transit emphasis corridors. Transit emphasis corridors provide a linkage between transit-supportive land use, transit service, and transportation infrastructure by serving as a framework for planning. Transit emphasis corridors are discussed in more detail in Chapter III. Implementation Measures. In addition, the LRTP identifies five corridors as possibilities for future BRT level of service. The location of these corridors is shown on the HCT map in Figure 8.

b.  Everett Transit

ET, which is part of the City of Everett government, operates local bus routes and provides paratransit service within Everett. ET provides some limited service outside of the city boundaries, including a connection to the ferry terminal in the City of Mukilteo, and transit service on key arterials in unincorporated areas adjacent to the city. ET also operates Everett Station, a multimodal transit center located near downtown Everett providing connections between Sounder commuter rail, Swift BRT, regional express bus service, local transit routes, intercity bus lines, and AMTRAK trains. No major system improvements are identified in ET’s most recent 2014-2019 transit development plan beyond minor route adjustments. (ref. 28)

c.  Sound Transit

ST provides High Capacity Transit (HCT) services and facilities within the central Puget Sound region. ST operates Sounder commuter rail connecting Seattle, Edmonds, Mukilteo and Everett and Link light rail currently only operating in Seattle and south King County. ST also operates six regional express bus routes serving Snohomish County, providing service between Everett, Lynnwood, Bothell, and the downtown areas of Seattle and Bellevue.

The 1993 long-range vision and the 2005 and 2015 long-range regional transit plan updates identified broadly defined corridors for commuter rail, light rail, BRT and regional express bus service, thus creating a vision for transit in the central Puget Sound Region. (ref. 29) Sound Move in 1996, Sound Transit 2 (ST2) in 2008, and Sound Transit 3 (ST3) in 2016 created service plans, and more refined blueprints for specific projects and services, for which voters approved funding. (ref. 30, 31) Sound Transit has been in the process of building these projects in a phased manner.

For Snohomish County, the ST2 plan includes an extension of Link light rail service along I-5 to Mountlake Terrace and the Lynnwood Transit Center with scheduled completion in 2023. With the recent passage of Sound Transit 3 (ST3), an extension of light rail from Lynnwood to Everett is planned to be built by 2036. The Lynnwood to Everett segment proceeds along I-5 corridor with stations at Alderwood Mall, 164th St SW, and 128th St SW. The route leaves the I-5 corridor at 128th St SW with a potential station at Airport Road/SR 99, a station at the SW Everett Industrial Center near Airport Road/SR 526, and a station at SR 526/SR 99. The route continues to Everett Station along the I-5 corridor. These light rail extensions together with CT’s BRT corridors provide a HCT framework that will allow future employment and population growth in southwest Snohomish County. The HCT system is shown in Figure 8.

d.  Washington State Ferries

Two WSF routes serve Snohomish County, providing cross-sound travel. The Edmonds-Kingston ferry operates between Edmonds and Kingston in Kitsap County. The Mukilteo-Clinton ferry operates between Mukilteo and Clinton on Whidbey Island. State-owned ferry terminals are located in both Edmonds and Mukilteo. Community Transit buses and Sounder commuter rail provide connections to both terminals. The Mukilteo terminal is also served by Everett Transit. The 2009 Washington State Ferries (WSF) Long-Range Plan presents a vision for the future that maintains current levels of service with limited improvements. (ref. 32)

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The extension of light rail to Everett and the expansion of BRT represent a significant capital investment in the county’s transit infrastructure. Other important transit capital facility improvements will improve parking access to transit and create better transfers between existing Sounder rail, regional bus, local bus, and WSF services.

a.  Near-Term Projects

Some of the major transit capital projects included in the ST2 service plan and the transit agencies’ TDPs to be completed in the next ten years include:

a Link light rail extension from Northgate to Lynnwood Transit Center with a station at Mountlake Terrace that will provide an HCT connection to Seattle and the region;

a Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal project providing improved connection between Whidbey Island and Snohomish County with safer access for pedestrians, vehicles, and bicycles. The new facility also ensures reliable connections to other transportation modes such as Sounder rail service and transit;

a Swift II Bus Rapid Transit route along Airport Rd/128th St/SR 96/ SR 527 connecting Boeing/Paine Field with Canyon Park in Bothell. The Swift II project includes new BRT buses, 31 BRT stations at 16 intersections, and a station at Canyon Park Park & Ride;

a Seaway Transit Center providing a northern terminus for the Swift II BRT line and connecting Boeing/Paine Field with transit service from CT, ET, King County Metro, and private employer shuttles;

a Swift III Bus Rapid Transit route along 196th St SW connecting Alderwood Mall, Lynnwood Light Rail Station, and Edmonds Community College. The Swift III project will include new BRT stations and BRT buses;

a Swift III Bus Rapid Transit route along 164th St SW connecting SR 527 and SR 99. The Swift III project will include new BRT stations and BRT buses;

a new park-and-ride lot near SR-525/Harbour Pointe, additional parking at the Mukilteo Multimodal terminal, and improvement projects at the Swamp Creek and Ash Way park and rides that will ease parking shortages and create additional transit system access points; and

an I-5 approach eastbound widening on 128th St SW for Swift II BRT to maintain speed and reliability for the new Swift II service. Modifications include a transit queue jump and a new right turn lane.

b.  Transportation 2040 Projects

The PSRC’s Transportation 2040 provides a long range multi-modal transportation plan projected to be completed by the year 2040. Projects that are in the “constrained” portion of the plan are those the region reasonably expects to be able to fund by 2040. Table 16 provides a list of those major transit capital projects included in the Transportation 2040 constrained plan. (ref. 6)

Table 16 High Capacity Transit Improvements for Snohomish County

Project

Agency

Description

Expected Completion

Link Light Rail extension to Lynnwood

ST

Link Light Rail extension from the Northgate station to the Lynnwood Transit Center with stations at Jackson Park and Shoreline in King County, and Montlake Terrace and Lynnwood in Snohomish County.

2023

Link Light Rail extension from Lynnwood to Everett

ST

Link Light Rail extension from the Lynnwood Transit Center to Everett

2036

Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit on I-405

ST

BRT service on I-405 from Lynnwood Transit Center to Canyon Park P&R and extending south with multiple stops in King County down to Burien.

2024

Swift Bus Rapid Transit on Smokey Point Corridor

CT and unidentified agency

BRT and transit priority infrastructure from Everett Station to Smokey Point via Broadway, SR 529, State Ave, and Smokey Point Blvd.

2030

Swift Bus Rapid Transit along Airport Rd/128th St/SR 96/SR 527

CT

BRT and transit priority infrastructure from Paine Field to SR 9 via Airport Rd, 128th St SW, SR 96, and SR 527.

2019

Swift Bus Rapid Transit on 196th St SW

CT and unidentified agency

BRT and transit priority infrastructure tentatively serving the Edmonds Community College, the Lynnwood light rail station, and Alderwood Mall.

2023

Swift Bus Rapid Transit on 164th St SW/SE

CT and local agencies

BRT and transit priority infrastructure on 164th St SW/SE from SR 99 to SR 527.

2023

Parking Garage at Lynnwood Transit Center

ST

Construct parking structure with 500 parking stalls

2023

Parking Garage at Mukilteo Sounder Station

ST

Development of 130 additional structured parking spaces for the use of Sounder riders in a joint-use parking garage developed as part of the Mukilteo Multimodal Terminal with WSDOT

2023

Mukilteo Multimodal Terminal

WSDOT

Develop new multimodal terminal for ferry, rail, bus, pedestrian, and bicycle. Expand/relocate the current terminal.

2017

Sources: PSRC Transportation 2040; Community Transit Transit Development Plan 2016 – 2021; Sound Transit 2; Sound Transit 3

FIGURE 8 High Capacity Transit