Transit Center Plans in Newcastle:

We’ve been reviewing the ongoing plans to build a world class rapid transit station on the shores of Lake Boren. Newcastle will someday be the jewel of eastside transit. It could possibly include a professional basketball arena. In the meantime Sound Transit wants to build a transit center at the main intersection in Newcastle.

The plan is to break out the curbing on Coal Creek Parkway and Newcastle Way so busses can get off to the side. I think they call these “bus pockets” or “gopher cheeks” or something. I don’t know.

But in order to make this happen, according to Sound Transit and Newcastle, they’d have to buy parts of adjacent lots. That’s because the right-of-way is already full of road. If you build a pocket wide enough for a big bus to pull off the road and include some of those bus shelters you need more land. Also where do the riders park their cars? I bet they want to add a big parking garage someplace as well.

Sound Transit has no extra money for this project so Newcastle is supposed to help make it happen since the roads belong to them. And, of course, everyone promises it’ll reduce traffic. Gas prices have already done that.

One person who owns a large parcel of land on one of the corners has decided he’s not interested in selling. He says his business would be hurt badly because the gopher cheek would eliminate his customers’ parking and block off the entry. He’s going to fight the whole thing. (Probably fighting for more dollars is what he really wants.)

In a city council meeting the Sound Transit planning people were showing off the drawings of the proposal when a guest showed up. The new person is another traffic planner who had a set of drawings as well. This new person was hired by the objecting land owner. A scuffle ensued and the Newcastle police were summoned to restore order. Later everyone denied there was a scuffle and they said the police were called in (from across the hall) just to give their opinion. Their opinion was “If you kids don’t play nice we’ll confiscate the coffee and donuts.” So everyone calmed right down.

What Sound Transit wants to do is institute a big construction project at a major intersection on Coal Creek Parkway. The road is already a mess further south because of the widening project (Phase 2 & 3) as well as the closure of Duval Ave. The timing would be just about when the widening projects are finished. That way it would take another year before traffic again flows smoothly in Newcastle. And it’s hard enough for Bellevue people to get to the Renton Wal-Mart as it is. But when it’s all done they can take the bus.

Oh, I guess they don’t think they need a parking garage because the busses will run around and pick up people and the “transit center” will be a hub. So while you’re standing in the rain (because the shelters are full) waiting for the bus to Renton you can contemplate things like what to call the Oklahoma City basketball team or why hasn’t the Newcastle Library been built yet?

There’s McDonald’s on one corner and Starbuck’s on another corner as well as the AM/PM on a third corner. Just one more and everyone waiting for busses will be able to get coffee before they catch the next bus. Now Sound Transit will have to consider scheduled potty breaks.

Al