LYNNWOOD — On cue Aug. 29, officials from Sound Transit and local elected officials flung a little dirt.
But no one’s complaining.
At a groundbreaking ceremony in Lynnwood, officials picked up their shovels and broke ground for a $64.2 million Sound Transit project, which will expand the Lynnwood Transit Facility at 202nd Street SW and 46th Avenue W.
The project is being undertaken by Sound Transit in concert with Lynnwood, Community Transit and the state Department of Transportation.
Besides remodeling the 22-year-old transit hub, the year-long, $33 million project also includes construction of a new $31 million freeway on-ramp that will allow buses and carpools to drop directly into I-5’s northbound HOV lanes.
The new interchange is scheduled for completion in fall 2004, said King County Executive Ron Sims, Sound Transit Board chairman.
Currently, buses and carpools must fight traffic on city streets to reach the transit hub, which lacks covered shelters and restrooms.
The snail’s pace hasn’t gone unnoticed by bus rider Chris Uhlman of Lynnwood, who said the worst part the afternoon bus commute is “the waiting because of traffic.”
Officials say the new on-ramp will shave 15 minutes off the average afternoon bus trip.
While the time saving may seem slight, every minute counts, said Agnes Govern, director of Sound Transit’s regional express department.
“It means 15 more minutes at home with my kids or the ability to stop at the store on the way home,” Govern said.
Daily, nearly 800 Sound Transit, Community Transit and King County Metro buses stop at the Lynnwood transit hub.
The hub’s passenger waiting areas will be enlarged and covered, providing shelter from the weather. The lighting will be improved and 300 new parking spaces will be added, raising the total from 900 to 1,200.
The project also will add 20 bus bays and public restrooms.
In 1996, voters approved funding for Sound Transit to provide a regional system of transit improvement.
Dave Earling, Sound Transit’s vice chairman, said the project will help commuters and the transit hub’s host, the city of Lynnwood, which is trying to develop its downtown core.
The city’s project is dependent on easy commuter access to its planned downtown and Alderwood Mall, which supplies substantial business tax revenues to the city, said Lynnwood Mayor Mike McKinnon.
“It will bring more people to Lynnwood, and hopefully they’ll stop and shop awhile,” McKinnon added.
Janice Podsada is a reporter for the Herald in Everett.
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