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 larger capability and reliability and enhancing journey time for individuals” for the reason that starting of this mission. 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 realm surrounding Bellevue and Redmond is sort of prosperous, and the two Line will serve employees commuting between these cities. The rising inhabitants residing within the service area will profit from handy entry to work, groceries, parks and extra.
Nevertheless, the shortage of low-income individuals within the service space is a priority from a couple of views.
From an financial viewpoint, job forecasts point out low-income occupations akin to gross sales and meals service will develop at greater charges and create extra job openings than high-income tech occupations. Provided that low-income residents are the almost definitely 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 offender. With low-income individuals extra prone 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 don’t have any various technique of transportation — these for whom a car-free way of life is much less a alternative and extra a necessity. Growing entry to public transit isn’t simply helpful to all; it’s one other means 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 inexpensive housing constructed close by. Nevertheless, with solely 23 inexpensive and obtainable models for each 100 low-income renters, according to King County, we’re in disaster. A countywide aim was set to construct 44,000 inexpensive housing models from 2018-2024, however solely 4,983 models had been constructed by 2022.
Transit-oriented growth across the 2 Line isn’t lessening the disaster, both. As an example, of the 5,000 models of housing constructed close to the Downtown Redmond station, solely 122 of them had been made completely inexpensive as of 2022. Our alarming scarcity of inexpensive housing sends a really clear message to low-income individuals, and it’s not, “You belong right here.”
At the moment, the two Line tells a story of public transit that advantages prosperous employees who can afford to dwell shut by whereas excluding lots of the individuals who want it most. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless a story within the making. Efforts to construct inexpensive housing and enhance entry to the two Line have elevated lately. Take the transit-oriented development project close to the Spring Avenue Station in Bellevue, which can lead to 234 models of inexpensive 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 inexpensive 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 residence — affordably.
