I’ll be the primary to confess, I really like the two Line. As a longtime resident of the Eastside, I discover the home windows of the sunshine rail automobiles have made acquainted sights look new. The road seems like a catalyst for an thrilling future Eastside. But, there’s been one understated facet I can’t assist however discover: The two Line serves those that, arguably, want it the least.
The two Line will eventually connect Downtown Seattle with the Eastside, the place tracks run by way of Bellevue and finish in Redmond. Given the area’s site visitors disaster, Sound Transit planning has targeted on “offering better capability and reliability and bettering journey time for folks” because the starting of this challenge. Nevertheless, I discovered little point out of guaranteeing equitable entry. A 2023 Service & Fare Equity analysis discovered that the proportion of low-income people within the 2 Line service space is 11.9%, about half the 20.9% regional common.
On the floor, that is neither shocking nor inherently detrimental. The world surrounding Bellevue and Redmond is kind of prosperous, and the two Line will serve staff commuting between these cities. The rising inhabitants dwelling within the service area will profit from handy entry to work, groceries, parks and extra.
Nevertheless, the shortage of low-income folks within the service space is a priority from just a few views.
From an financial viewpoint, job forecasts point out low-income occupations akin to gross sales and meals service will develop at increased charges and create extra job openings than high-income tech occupations. On condition that low-income residents are the probably to make use of public transit, there’s clear financial motivation to serve this rising inhabitants that can higher make the most of public transit.
From a site visitors viewpoint, a 2024 report discovered site visitors has rebounded to 89% of pre-pandemic ranges. Surveys discover noncommuting journeys, three-quarters of that are made by solo drivers, and which outnumber commute journeys, to be the wrongdoer. With low-income folks extra more likely to make the most of public transit for all journeys, prioritizing this group would scale back site visitors.
However establishing how serving a broad vary of ridership may benefit Sound Transit and alleviate some congestion obscures the true promise of public transit: to serve those that haven’t any different technique of transportation — these for whom a car-free life-style is much less a alternative and extra a necessity. Growing entry to public transit isn’t simply helpful to all; it’s one other method of claiming, “you belong right here.”
So how can we make that assertion clearer with the two Line?
By making bus, bike and pedestrian entry to the stations viable by way of extra reasonably priced housing constructed close by. Nevertheless, with solely 23 reasonably priced and accessible items for each 100 low-income renters, according to King County, we’re in disaster. A countywide purpose was set to construct 44,000 reasonably priced housing items from 2018-2024, however solely 4,983 items have been constructed by 2022.
Transit-oriented growth across the 2 Line isn’t lessening the disaster, both. As an illustration, of the 5,000 items of housing constructed close to the Downtown Redmond station, solely 122 of them have been made completely reasonably priced as of 2022. Our alarming scarcity of reasonably priced housing sends a really clear message to low-income folks, and it’s not, “You belong right here.”
At the moment, the two Line tells a story of public transit that advantages prosperous staff who can afford to reside shut by whereas excluding most of the individuals who want it most. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless a story within the making. Efforts to construct reasonably priced housing and enhance entry to the two Line have elevated not too long ago. Take the transit-oriented development project close to the Spring Avenue Station in Bellevue, which can lead to 234 items of reasonably priced housing plus market-rate housing and workplace area, and the institution of the Bellevue Office of Housing, for instance. However these are solely Band-Aids for these points. Lengthy-term, continued help of reasonably priced housing and improved entry to transit is what is going to remedy them.
It’s time we make it clear to ourselves, our neighbors and our leaders that this area is a spot the place everybody deserves to journey and name dwelling — affordably.
