A RESOLUTION supporting the adoption of a Northgate Station Access Strategy by the Sound Transit Board, and stating that the City of Seattle intends to commit $5 million to pedestrian and bicycle improvements as a match to $5 million provided by Sound Transit and, additionally, up to $5 million to fund 25% of the cost of the proposed pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Interstate 5 at Northgate as part of a consortium of funders, including Sound Transit; the City would commit these funds between 2013 and 2018.

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle strongly supports the construction of the North Link extension from the University of Washington station at Husky Stadium to the planned Northgate Station; and

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle has worked closely with Sound Transit to coordinate construction of the light rail line, design and construction of stations along the line, plans for transit oriented development around stations, and strategies for ensuring that transit riders will be able to access the planned stations, and intends to work cooperatively as the project proceeds; and

WHEREAS, the City encourages Sound Transit to develop pricing strategies for parking lots under its control to manage demand and to consider designs that would enable a parking garage to support other uses in the future; and

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle, King County, and Sound Transit have been working to develop an access strategy for the Northgate Station; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Sound Transit will consider a proposal to develop a coordinated, multi-modal access strategy for Northgate; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Sound Transit access strategy will include:

* Evaluating possible pedestrian and bicycle access facilities;

* Developing a 450 stall parking garage that will support park-and-ride facilities, preferably shared use, with possible private funding used to provide additional parking garage stalls and potentially free existing surface parking for future development;

* Matching up to $5 million in City investments in bicycle and pedestrian facilities around the Northgate station; and

* Committing up to $5 million as a 25% share in a bicycle/pedestrian bridge between the Northgate station and North Seattle Community College; and

WHEREAS, the investment of $10 million in pedestrian and bicycle facilities around Northgate will be a major step towards making the Northgate Station work for pedestrians and bicyclists, would be consistent with the intent of the Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan and the Coordinated Transportation Investment Plan for Northgate, and will greatly assist the Northgate Urban Center and the surrounding neighborhoods in realizing the dreams and goals of the City and the Neighborhood Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan and the Coordinated Transportation Investment Plan for Northgate both advocated the construction of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge across Interstate 5, the Northgate Sound Transit Station has been designed to accommodate the landing of this bridge, North Seattle Community College and the Seattle Community Colleges have indicated their support for the proposed bridge, and this bridge would not only create a link that would facilitate light rail serving the 9,000 students, faculty, and staff at North Seattle Community College, but would also provide excellent access for transit riders located west of Interstate 5 who could reach light rail without entering congested Northgate area traffic and contributing to further congestion in the existing crossings at North 92nd and Northgate Way (there are no crossings of I-5 between these two points); NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1. The City of Seattle endorses the proposed Northgate Access Strategy and urges the Sound Transit Board to adopt it.

Section 2. The City of Seattle intends to commit $5 million to pedestrian and bicycle improvements as a match to $5 million provided by Sound Transit and, additionally, up to $5 million to fund 25% of the cost of the proposed pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Interstate 5 at Northgate as part of a consortium of funders, including Sound Transit. The City of Seattle agrees that if a full funding agreement for the implementation of the pedestrian/bicycle bridge cannot be completed by July 2015, the Sound Transit Board will reallocate any unspent bridge funds to other priority pedestrian pedestrian/bicycle projects identified through the connectivity and access study processes.

Section 3. The City of Seattle would commit these funds between 2013 and 2018, and will participate in a full funding agreement for the pedestrian/bicycle bridge by July 2015.

Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________, 2012, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day

of ______________________, 2012.

_________________________________

President ___________of the City Council

THE MAYOR CONCURRING:

_________________________________

Michael McGinn, Mayor

Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________, 2012.

____________________________________

Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)

Richard Conlin LEG Northgate Access Strategy RES v.4.doc June 22, 2012 Version #4