Bellevue Council to Hear Public Comments on East Link Agreement With Sound Transit

The public may comment tonight at the Bellevue City Council meeting on the binding agreement with Sound Transit that would outline how the city and public agency would split the cost for a downtown light rail tunnel.

The council will get an update on the memorandum of understanding at its study session tonight and the public hearing is scheduled for the regular meeting, scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

The Bellevue council may choose to make a decision on the agreement as early as tonight, but has and that they remain committed to the negotiations process regardless of the results of the election.

The binding memorandum of understanding would outline how the city and the transit agency would cover the additional $276 million that a tunnel through downtown Bellevue would add to the $2.5 billion cost of the East Link project.

, Bellevue city officials have also angled to include provisions on how the transit agency will minimize the impacts to the Surrey Downs, Enatai and other neighborhoods that fall along the above-ground path of the East Link line.

If you go

The is scheduled from 6-10 p.m. at There is an executive session that is closed to the public scheduled at 6 p.m. which is scheduled to last an hour. The regular meeting is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. The council meetings are broadcast live on Bellevue Television (cable channel 21). Video of the meetings can be viewed any time online from Bellevue TV.

East Link coverage:

• Sound Transit OKs East Link Agreement, Pending Bellevue Decision
• Bellevue Decision on East Link Agreement Pushed to Mid-November