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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-09-2009 - Supplemental MaterialsCITY OF MEDINA 501 Evergreen Point Road, Medina WA 98039 425.233.6400 (phone) 425.454.8490 (fax) www.medina-wa ctov March 9, 2009 TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: ROBERT J. GRUMBACH, AICP VIA: DONNA HANSON, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT: SR 520 PARK & RIDE The SR 520 Eastside Transit and HOV Project has included proposed improvements to the Evergreen Point Road transit stop and enlargement of the Park & Ride lot. The eastside corridor program is moving into the phase where detailed design is being worked out. The following information is provided in order to provide some background information on the Park & Ride lot. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARK & RIDE LOT AND THE TRANSIT STOP: The Evergreen Point Road Park & Ride lot and transit stop share an integral history with one another. In 1974, Medina residents indicated to WSDOT a desire for a pick-up and drop-off terminal near the toll plaza. WSDOT was originally planning a transit transfer point at 92"d Avenue. The city petitioned WSDOT and a transit stop was approved, built and operational by September 1974. • In 1981, the City requested that a Park & Ride lot be constructed as a means of addressing parking problems associated with the transit stop. WSDOT agreed and the City Council approved Resolution No. 154 accepting the maintenance obligations for the Park & Ride lot and entering into an agreement with WSDOT. • According to the environmental documents, the Park & Ride lot was originally designed for 38 parking spaces. The city's comprehensive plan indicates there are 45 parking spaces and a site -visit indicated there can be parking for up to 51 vehicles at the site. REQUEST FOR THE PARK & RIDE TO BE REMOVED In 1986, the city requested that WSDOT shutdown the Park & Ride lot due to concerns about problems with traffic and parking. The traffic concerns were due in part to the re- opening of Three Points Elementary as a private school, which added to the traffic flow in the neighborhood. While WSDOT agreed to take steps to better monitor the facility, they declined to shutdown the Park & Ride lot because of their belief that it provided a benefit to the Points Communities. In November 1986, a license plate survey was conducted where it was concluded that 17.6 percent of the vehicles utilizing the Park & Ride lot were Medina residents with 56.7 percent of the vehicles utilizing the lot were from Medina, the Points Communities and the 98004 Bellevue zip code. RELATED CITY ACTIONS ON THE SR 520 PROJECT: The council adopted Resolution No. 270 in December 1999, which indicated the freeway flyer stops along SR 520 shall remain. • Between July and December 2004, the city council developed a position statement on the SR 520 project. The city council approved a position statement that included retention of the Evergreen Point Road flyer stop, but did not indicate a position on the Park & Ride lot. The 2006 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that was originally prepared for the entire SR 520 project indicated that the Park & Ride lot experienced an average 88 percent use rate (it average 45 parked vehicles a day). Originally, the improvements to SR 520 would have reduced the parking supply by 16 stalls or 31 percent. According to the DEIS, this would have constituted a parking effect to the community as average demand would have exceeded supply. Note: The DEIS also analyzed 19 parking spaces at a State -Exempt lot located directly to the east of the Park & Ride Lot. However, this parking is not utilized by the public and will be eliminated with the new improvements. • Resolution No. 314 was approved in October 2006 and included a statement to retain the Evergreen Point Road transit stop for current and future services. During Eastside Collaboration Team Workshops in 2007 with WSDOT and the other Points Communities, Mayor Miles Adam emphasized the city's support that the transit stop must remain and for the Park & Ride lot to be expanded. WSDOT design for the Evergreen Point Road lid includes expansion of the Park & Ride lot based on the feedback it has received from the city.