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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge)   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, August 2, 2008 Light rail key to Lynnwood's big dreams By Yoshiaki Nohara Herald Writer LYNNWOOD -- Bringing light rail to Lynnwood could speed up the city's plan to create a new downtown filled with skyscrapers west of I-5. Sound Transit hopes to build a new station for light rail at the Lynnwood transit center on the west side of the freeway. The agency's $17.9 billion package of mass transit projects aims to bring light rail to Lynnwood as part of a plan to improve bus service in Snohomish County by 2023. The transit center is part of about 210 acres that city officials have designated as the future city center. The city hopes to entice developers to transform the area into a densely populated downtown where people live and work. Light rail could expedite the process, Lynnwood officials said. "It will be faster because it raises property values and developers' expectations," said Paul Krauss, the city's community development director. The Sound Transit proposal is headed to the Nov. 4 ballot. It will need a majority vote to pass in the Sound Transit district, which stretches over parts of Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. A year ago, a similar proposal tied to road projects failed. Supporters said its size and complexity overwhelmed voters. The new proposal would tackle train, light rail and bus projects over the next 15 years. Of the $17.9 billion, about $12 billion is expected to be used for light rail projects in the three counties. The measure includes money for an environmental review and design for the new light rail station in Lynnwood, said Matt Shelden, a policy manager for Sound Transit. That means the final location and details of the station have yet to be decided, but a preliminary plan names the Lynnwood transit center as a promising site for the station. The center, owned by the state, already provides bus service and has 1,250 parking spots. Sound Transit plans to build light rail along the east side of I-5 north from Seattle. The rail line would cross over to the freeway's west side in Lynnwood to reach the transit center, Shelden said. Sound Transit has yet to secure right-of-way for the light rail route; most right-of-way is owned by the state Department of Transportation. Four-car trains are expected to run on the light rail system. Each train could hold up to 800 people. The time between each train in Lynnwood likely would be 3.5 minutes during peak hours and five minutes during other hours. The trains also would stop in Mountlake Terrace in Snohomish County. From the Lynnwood station, it would take the trains about 28 minutes to reach downtown Seattle, according to Sound Transit. If light rail comes to Lynnwood, there should be plenty of riders, Lynnwood officials said. High gas prices are making people switch to public transportation, City Councilwoman Lisa Utter said. The new downtown west of I-5 is expected to encourage high population density and let people live and work without a car. Strip malls dominate the area now. "The Lynnwood city center is prime for redevelopment," Utter said. The Lynnwood City Council passed a resolution last month to support the Sound Transit ballot measure. Councilman Ted Hikel voted against the resolution. Hikel said he supports light rail but thinks it costs way too much. "I think it's insanity," Hikel said. "It's an outrageous amount of money." Money will be better spent improving regional bus service, Hikel said. "It's already too expensive," he said. "If it's going to be more expensive, it may not be the answer to our problem." Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.

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