Sound Transit crews will be hammering away as they commence work this month on the Mercer Island East Link Traffic Mitigation Project.
The agency announced on Aug. 12 that myriad tasks occurring around the Mercer Island Station are part of its Environmental Impact Study and Record of Decision for the East Link Light Rail project. The station, which is located in the center of Interstate 90 near the Mercer Island Park-and-Ride and Mercer Island Town Center, is slated to open in 2025.
“The improvements primarily consist of improved traffic signals, pavement, and markings at three intersections nearest the station,” reads a press release, adding that crews will specifically focus on utility location, surveys, necessary demolition and installation of erosion control measures.
The trio of intersections where workers will be engaging in installations, enhancements and more mainly during the day and potentially at night are: 76th Avenue Southeast and North Mercer Way; 77th Avenue Southeast and North Mercer Way; and 80th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 27th Street.
The project is scheduled to begin with traffic control setup, potholing and more in August and September; installation of temporary pedestrian access, removal of some existing sidewalks and curbs and more in September and October; installation of new poles, final grading and pouring of new concrete and paving in November and December; and final landscaping and anticipated project completion in January of 2025. Project updates will be ongoing, Sound Transit noted.
“Islanders should anticipate some temporary traffic and pedestrian impacts. Traffic detour plans will be in place with appropriate signage installed,” the city said.
Sound Transit said the city and Washington State Department of Transportation has reviewed and approved the traffic detour plans.
Come the spring of 2025, the Mercer Island Station is anticipated to be operationalized as one of the segments of the 14-mile East Link Extension Project, according to a Reporter article published in May of 2023.
Due to issues that arose in 2022 with the cast-in-place concrete plinths that support the tracks, the original projected East Link opening of mid-2023 was delayed. The construction challenges also caused delays in the opening of the Lynnwood, Federal Way and Downtown Redmond Link Extension routes. The total East Link budget is $3.68 billion.
The MI Station platform level distance is marked at 380 linear feet between the 77th Avenue Southeast entrance and the 80th Avenue Southeast entrance. Users will descend 27-foot staircases to the rail platform as reported in a tour on May 1, 2023.
On April 27 of this year, Sound Transit opened the East Link starter line — also called the 2 Line — which is an eight-station light rail that travels from the South Bellevue Station to the Redmond Technology Station, as noted in a previous Reporter article.
For more project information, visit https://tinyurl.com/3ffsejx7
