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Sound Transit University Link Capitol Hill Station

Transit-Oriented Development Community ForumOctober 27, 2009

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Forum Agenda

6:00 pm Open House

6:15 pm Presentation• Capitol Hill Station/TOD intro • Nagle Extension/Farmers Market

– Q & A, discussion• Parking

– Q & A, discussion • Next Steps and How to Stay Informed

7:45 pm Return to Open House

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• 3.15-mile extension of Initial Segment and Airport Link– Capitol Hill Station– UW Station and crossover

• Schedule– Design: completed early 2009– Construction: 6.5 years– System testing: 6 months– Open for service: 2016

• Adds 70,000 daily riders, 114,000 riders systemwide

University Link

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Capitol Hill Station• Underground station

with 3 entrances• Construction staging

area - station and tunnel excavation at site

• Ridership: 14,000 daily boardings

• Travel time: – 6 minutes to downtown

Seattle (University St.)– 3 minutes to UW Station

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TOD Outreach Process

• Sound Transit hosting quarterly community forums to gather public input on Capitol Hill Station TOD topics:

March 2009• TOD work program• Community uses

June 2009• Housing • Retail

October 27, 2009• Nagle Extension design • Parking

Future Forums• Urban design & streetscape• Green building• Redevelopment vision

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June Community Forum Recap

• Housing and Retail– Small group discussions

• Survey• Comments and survey results at

www.soundtransit.org/CapitolHillTOD

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Housing and Retail Survey

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Tonight’s Program

• Nagle Place Extension/Farmers Market• TOD Site Parking

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Nagle Extension

• Provides station maintenance and operations access• Provides delivery vehicle and underground parking

access for TOD Site A

Nagle Extension

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Broadway Farmers Market• Sunday Market is popular with 6 years of continued growth • Currently at temporary site; Market is seeking permanent,

long-term home• Market requested consideration of Nagle Extension for long-

term use after station completed in 2016• Community support for Market in TOD forums• Sound Transit staff have completed initial assessment of

Market request

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Farmers Market Sound Transit Staff Preliminary Conclusions• Sound Transit supports use of Nagle Extension for long-

term Broadway Farmers Market home– Does not compromise station requirements or TOD project plans– Market’s requirements appear to be “doable” at minimal design or

construction costs– Market would attract additional ridership to station– Market would increase appeal of adjacent TOD sites (retail and

housing) and further activate area– Consistent with Sound Transit

sustainability goals and supports Market’s sustainability mission

– Strong public support

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Farmers Market Design Considerations

• Additional work to address Market and TOD requirements:– TOD parking garage and delivery access and hours– Roadway width of 40-45’ for 2 rows of stalls and 20’ fire lane– Market space for 50 vendors

Potential Farmers Market Stalls

NAGLE EXTENSION

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Nagle Extension – Other Design Considerations

• Use of street trees, other “Green Factor” elements • Designate as private street to address security concerns• Sound Transit may design street; have developer(s) build it

Nagle Extension

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Farmers Market – Next Steps

• Continue code/policy reviews• Advance design of Nagle

Extension to confirm access and parking needs, refine Market configuration

• ST Board update in January • Community update at January

TOD forum

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Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance Representatives• Chris Cassidy, NFMA Board President• John Howell – Cedar River Group

ST Board Central Link Oversight Committee Chair• Larry Phillips, King County Council

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Questions? Comments?

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Parking at Capitol Hill TOD Sites

• TOD sites - limited underground parking for site tenants and retail customers

• Parking amount & configuration determined through developer proposal and design process

• No commuter parking at Capitol Hill Station• No commercial public parking at Station

– Inconsistent with ST’s transit mission – Not financially feasible – Light rail reduces need for parking– Inconsistent with pedestrian environment– FTA funds not eligible for constructing commercial

parking

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Parking Alternatives

• Sound Transit looking to reduce total parking inventory on sites

• Alternatives to individual car parking– Increase access to and from neighborhood and Station– Still attractive to developers/lenders– Encourage sustainability

• Sound Transit will encourage or require developers to provide alternatives to reduce car parking needs

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Shared Parking

• Depending on types of uses in developments, parking can be shared between users at different times of day

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Zip Car

• Zip Cars shared between users for limited specific needs– Users no longer need personal

cars and associated parking– Users rely on transit, walking or

bicycling other times

Electric Car Charging Stations• Provides sustainable alternative to regular car

parking

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Resident Financial Incentives

• Residential parking fees separate, not bundled in overall rents

• Options for residents to forego parking space for transit pass discounts

Shopper Incentives• Discounts from retailers for shoppers using transit

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Transit Information

• Property managers provide location for transit info– Transit routes and information– Ride-sharing opportunities– Bicycle services and facilities info

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Capitol Hill Station Bicycle Parking

• Bike parking needed for light rail users– Station west entrance to have approx. 50 rack spaces

• Sound Transit considering additional bicycle parking to meet future station demand– ST creating Bicycle Parking and Access Plan

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TOD Bicycle Parking

• TOD site bike parking: – Below-grade bike parking for tenants and/or public– Street level bike parking for customers

• ST may require developers to integrate add’l bike parking• ST/developers may seek bike parking grant opportunities

or partnerships

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Questions? Comments?

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Next Steps

• Next community forum - January 2010– Farmers Market update– Urban design, streetscape– Green Building

• Wrap-up forum – February (TBD)– Redevelopment vision synthesis– Moving forward

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How to Stay Informed

• Sound Transit Capitol Hill TOD websitewww.soundtransit.org/CapitolHillTOD

• Monthly electronic newsletterswww.soundtransit.org/subscribe

• ST project and outreach staff contacts TOD – Michelle Ginder, Project Development Coordinator,

michelle.ginder@soundtransit.org Construction – Rhonda Dixon, Community Outreach

Coordinator, rhonda.dixon@soundtransit.org

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TOD Work Program Schedule