Evergreen Point transit center a milestone in 520 project
Jun 16, 2014, 6:04 AM | Updated: 11:30 am
For three years, bus riders have watched as the 520 Eastside corridor has transformed. A tiny bus stop shelter near the bridge entrance is gone. In its place, the spacious, glass and concrete Evergreen Point Road transit stop. (WSDOT Photo)
(WSDOT Photo)
It’s a milestone Monday for the SR 520 project. For the first time, bus commuters can use a huge, new transit center just opened on the Eastside corridor.
For three years, bus riders have watched as the 520 Eastside corridor has transformed. A tiny bus stop shelter near the bridge entrance is gone. In its place, the spacious, glass and concrete Evergreen Point Road transit stop.
“That means no more walking in the gravel. They’re going to be able to make it to a great concrete facility, it’s going to be cleaner, it’s going to be nicer, it’s going to be faster for the riders,” said Metro Transit spokesman Jeff Switzer. “We have 19 different routes between Sound Transit and Metro that travel to this particular location with about 21,000 people who use this corridor every day.”
The new facility is in the center of the highway and Switzer says riders can also access the station using the lidded overpass, where there’s limited parking. To get to the buses, take a stairway or elevator. He says the Evergreen Point Road transit stop continues the conversion of transit centers and HOV ramps to the center lanes.
“Once the HOV lanes are in the middle, once all the transit centers are in the middle, you’re going to see improved travel times, not just now but for years and years to come as more riders are taking transit and as more drivers are trying to drive in the corridor,” said Switzer.
The new transit center opens Monday but work remains on the 92nd Avenue NE bus stop. During that time, the contractor will shuttle riders from 92nd to the Evergreen Point Road transit stop.
Farther east, at 108th Avenue NE, bus riders and carpoolers will enjoy a dedicated ramp to the inside, carpool lane on 520.
The entire Eastside Corridor project should be done by fall but Ian Sterling, with the Washington State Department of Transportation, says future expansion is possible.
“It was built with the thought that light rail may someday come here.”
Of course, the new Eastside corridor still connects to the old bridge. The new floating bridge is still under construction and not due for completion until 2016.
