December 19, 2014

Sound Transit Board

c/o Board Administrator
Sound Transit
401 S Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104
Re: NORTHGATE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE BRIDGE 2015 DEADLINE
Dear Members of the Sound Transit Board:
As fellow members of the Sound Transit Board and regional elected leaders, we request the
removal of the July 31, 2015 funding deadline for the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge that
was previously agreed to by the Seattle City Council and Sound Transit Board.
The Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge will provide a critical connection across I-5 from the
future Northgate Light Rail Station to North Seattle College and the University of Washingtons
Northwest Hospital.
Because the bridge would shorten the distance from the future light rail station to North Seattle
College by almost a mile, Sound Transit staff estimated that this bridge would increase its light rail
ridership by 5 percent.1 Ridership would likely increase for King County Metro as well and increase
the transit-oriented development potential in the area. The bridge will cost about 1 percent of the
construction cost for the Northgate Link Extension.
This project has been a high priority for the nearby neighborhoods and the regions advocates for at
least two decades. The neighborhoods of Maple Leaf and Licton Springs have been divided by
Interstate 5 since it opened in 1965. As a result, the 1993 Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan,2
2004 Northgate Open Spaces & Pedestrian Connections Plan,3 2006 Northgate Coordinated
Transportation Investment Plan,4 2007 North Seattle College Long Range Campus Plan,5 2013
Northgate Urban Design Framework,6 and 2014 Seattle Bicycle Master Plan7 have each called for a
pedestrian crossing of Interstate 5 at the proximate location of the future light rail station. The
community councils of Licton Springs, Maple Leaf, and Pinehurst have each recently expressed
support for the bridge.
1

Northgate Station Access Study, (Sound Transit, May 2013),

http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/tiger/Northgate%20Non-motorized%20Access%20Study.pdf.
2
Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan, (City of Seattle, Sept. 1993),
http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/npi/plans/northgate/.
3
Northgate Open Spaces & Pedestrian Connections Plan, (City of Seattle, Fall 2004),
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/dpdd017658.pdf.
4
Northgate Coordinated Transportation Investment Plan, (City of Seattle, Sept. 2006),
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/nctipf_Cover-Executive%20Summary.pdf.
5
North Seattle Community College Long Range Campus Plan, (North Seattle College, 2007),
https://facweb.northseattle.edu/smcdonald/PedBridge%20SoundT/nscc_long_range_campus_plan.pdf.
6
Northgate Urban Design Framework, (City of Seattle, Dec. 2013),
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/p2127183.pdf.
7
Seattle Bicycle Master Plan, (City of Seattle, April 2014),
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaster_materials.htm.

Following a controversy over the construction and cost of a proposed 900-stall parking garage for
the light rail station, the City of Seattle and Sound Transit mutually agreed to financial
commitments toward bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the Northgate area. As part of this
agreement, Sound Transit committed $5 million toward the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle
Bridge, provided full funding could be secured by July 31, 2015. The total project cost for the
Bridge has been estimated to be between $15 and $25 million, with $10 million already committed
to-date between Sound Transit and the City of Seattle. The agreement specifies that if the remaining
funding is not secured by next July, Sound Transits contribution will be reallocated toward other
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure projects within the neighborhood. The City of Seattles
commitment would return to its general fund.
We understand that the funding deadline was enacted to allow for engineering studies to be
conducted so that the bridge could be built into the future light rail station. However, given that the
Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge preliminary engineering and environmental review will be
completed by the end of this year (Q4, 2014), the deadline no longer has justification and should be
removed.
With the removal of the July 31, 2015 deadline, we can continue to stay committed and focused on
supporting the regional expansion of Sound Transits Link light rail system and improving
pedestrian and bicycle access to the light rail station for the Northgate Urban Center.
With additional time and greater focus from city and regional leaders, we are confident we can find
the remaining funding necessary to construct the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge.
Potential funding sources include new and greater commitments from Northgate stakeholders;
cost-savings from a smaller parking garage; regional, state, and federal grant opportunities; and the
cost-savings from the University Link Extension.
For these reasons, we urge the Sound Transit Board to remove the July 31, 2015 funding deadline
for the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Larry Phillips
Sound Transit Board member
King County Council Chair
Mike OBrien
Sound Transit Board member
Seattle City Councilmember

David Frockt
State Senator, Legislative District 46

Tom Rasmussen
Seattle City Council member
and Transportation Committee Chair

Jessyn Farrell
State Representative, Legislative District 46

Sally Bagshaw
Seattle City Council member

Gerry Pollet
State Representative, Legislative District 46