CITY OF SEATTLE

RESOLUTION __________________

A RESOLUTION relating to the State Route 520, Interstate 5 to Medina Bridge Replacement and High Occupancy Vehicle Project; superseding Resolution 31411 and Section 2 and Section 3 of Resolution 31611; and making recommendations for the future configuration of a second Montlake bascule bridge.

WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) led the Seattle Design Process for the Seattle elements of the State Route 520 (SR-520) replacement project in collaboration with The City of Seattle, as intended by the Memorandum of Understanding authorized by Ordinance 123733 in October 2011; and

WHEREAS, Resolution 31411, adopted in September 2012, recommended triggers under which the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) should consider building a second bascule bridge over the Montlake Cut given the existing conditions at the time of that resolution’s adoption; and

WHEREAS, the Washington State legislature passed the Connecting Washington transportation funding package (SESSB 5987) in July 2015, which included $1.6 billion to fully fund the remaining “Rest of the West” Seattle elements of the SR-520 replacement project, including West Approach Bridge South, the Montlake Lid, a second Montlake bascule bridge, Portage Bay Bridge, the Roanoke Lid, and the I-5 Interchange; and

WHEREAS, Section 2 of Resolution 31611, adopted in October 2015, referenced Resolution 31411 and made recommendations related to a second bascule bridge over the Montlake Cut; and

WHEREAS, the existing Montlake Bridge has limited sidewalk capacity for pedestrians and bicycles, and no roadway capacity for transit lanes; and

WHEREAS, the Sound Transit University of Washington Station opened for light rail operations in March 2016; averaged 10,349 weekday boardings in the first quarter of 2019; and is expected to increase boardings as the light rail system expands; and

WHEREAS, King County Metro and Sound Transit have reconfigured local and regional bus service to utilize the University of Washington Station as a transfer hub; and

WHEREAS, the SR-520 Shared-Use Trail opened for cross-lake pedestrian and bicycle trips in December 2017; and

WHEREAS, increased transit, pedestrian, and bicycle demand have heightened the need for improved connections across the Montlake Cut since Resolution 31411 and Resolution 31611 were adopted; NOW, THEREFORE,

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

Section 1. Resolution 31411 and Section 2 and Section 3 of Resolution 31611 are superseded.

Section 2. Consistent with The City of Seattle (City)’s Comprehensive Plan and Climate Action Plan transportation mode-share goals, the City supports the development of a second Montlake bascule bridge to increase capacity for transit and high-occupancy vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists across the Montlake Cut, while maintaining the existing number of general-purpose lanes.

Section 3. The City requests that the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) establish opportunities for community and stakeholder outreach and input in the development and design of a second Montlake bascule bridge.

Section 4. The City requests that WSDOT explore opportunities to advance the construction timeline of the second Bascule Bridge to coincide with other construction phases of the SR-520 project that impact Montlake and reduce the duration of construction disruption in the corridor.

Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2019, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.

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President ____________ of the City Council

The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2019.

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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor

Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.

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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)