By Dow Constantine

King County Executive

Special to the Mercer Island Reporter

Eight years from now, Mercer Island residents will begin to enjoy the benefits of fast, frequent and reliable light rail service that connects the Island with both sides of Lake Washington, and provides much-needed mobility for our region. The future Mercer Island Station, on I-90 just north of downtown, will help thousands of Island riders to connect to jobs, education, and entertainment to both the east and west, completely bypassing the traffic gridlock that continues to plague our region.

The East Link project will bring change, and Island residents have important questions and a real stake in how Sound Transit manages the next steps.

You want to know what additional parking will be provided. You want to know how local bus routes will connect you with the new station. You want to know how bus traffic will change as riders from other parts of the Eastside transfer to light rail at the new station. And you want to know about the state’s plans for Island access to the 24-hour HOV lanes now under construction.

These are fair questions. At the invitation of Island Mayor Bruce Bassett, I recently spent some time on the Island, walking with him through the Town Center, future station location, and Park and Ride areas. He relayed topics of interest and concern he heard from Island residents. The Mayor’s request to me was simple: let’s pause, open a dialogue, and make sure the concerns of Mercer Island residents are fully understood.

That’s why I was pleased when Bellevue Mayor Claudia Balducci, my colleague on the Sound Transit Board, brought forward a motion, adopted unanimously, directing the agency to further engage Island residents in planning for the East Link project and Mercer Island Station.

As a result of the Balducci motion, over the course of the next two months, you will have opportunities to speak at public meetings and drop-in sessions or, more conveniently, share your thoughts through an online survey. Your feedback will help the board better understand areas of need, your ideas, and your concerns in guiding the future of Mercer Island.

As King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair, I have directed King County Metro and Sound Transit to energetically and fully integrate planning and operations wherever possible, including coordination at Mercer Island Station.

Access to the HOV lanes is a decision that rests with the state Department of Transportation, as the lead agency for the I-90 roadway. State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson is also a member of the board, and she is fully engaged in working with all parties to see that the needs of Island residents are taken into account.

Over the next 25 years, our region’s population is expected to grow by one million people. Our job is to make sure we are ready to meet the needs of Island residents and everyone in the region for fast, efficient and congestion-free transportation. That will require collaboration between all levels of government, and the participation of all residents.

I encourage you to keep an eye out for more details on opportunities for involvement later this summer and fall. At the request of mayors Bassett and Balducci, and many Island residents, we’ve hit the pause button. Let’s hear your concerns and make sure that everyone comes out ahead.

Dow Constantine is King County Executive and chair of the Sound Transit Board.