U District station


U District
Future Link light rail station

Looking south at the station construction site, February 2016
Location Brooklyn Avenue NE & NE 45th Street
University District, Seattle, Washington
United States
Coordinates 47°39′38″N 122°18′51″W / 47.66056°N 122.31417°W / 47.66056; -122.31417Coordinates: 47°39′38″N 122°18′51″W / 47.66056°N 122.31417°W / 47.66056; -122.31417
Operated by Sound Transit
Line(s) Northgate Link extension
Platforms 1 island platform
Tracks 2
Construction
Structure type Underground
History
Opening 2021
Services
Preceding station  
Link
   Following station
Terminus
Northgate Link Extension
Under Construction
toward Northgate

U District (working name Brooklyn)[1] is a future light rail station located in Seattle, Washington. It is situated in the University District neighborhood, near the University of Washington campus, and is being built as part of the Northgate extension of the Link light rail system. The underground station will have two entrances along Brooklyn Avenue NE at NE 43rd and 45th streets.

Construction on the Northgate extension was approved by voters in a 2008 ballot measure and began in 2012. The station is scheduled to be completed in 2021, along with the rest of the Northgate extension. Sound Transit estimates that there will be 12,000 daily boardings at the station in 2030.[2]

Location

U District station is located under the east side of Brooklyn Avenue Northeast between Northeast 43rd and 45th streets, at the heart of the University District urban village in northern Seattle. It is near the area's main commercial corridor, The Ave, which runs a block east on University Way Northeast. To the west of the station is University of Washington Plaza, a high-rise office building used by the University of Washington; adjacent to the station's north entrance is the historic Neptune Theatre.[2][3]

The University District is served by local bus service from King County Metro, and regional service from Sound Transit Express and Community Transit. Buses stop along NE 45th Street and University Way, each one block from the planned station entrances.[4]

Transit-oriented development

The area surrounding U District station is a walkable neighborhood primarily consisting of commercial space and multi-family residential housing. Within a 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) of the station is one of the densest concentrations of housing and jobs in the region, with nearly 15,000 jobs and over 21,000 residents counted in 2013.[5]

The station is designed to support up to 240 feet (73 m) of transit-oriented development on top of the entrances and station box.[6] The city of Seattle began developing a comprehensive rezoning of the neighborhood to allow for taller buildings in 2013, proposing a maximum height limit of 340 feet (100 m) along NE 45th Street and 85 feet (26 m) in other parts of the neighborhood.[7][8] The rezoning proposal ran into opposition from locals who filed an appeal to halt planning, citing a need for affordable housing and open space.[9] A revised plan unveiled in September 2016 by Mayor Ed Murray requires new developments in the neighborhood to include rent-restricted affordable housing or pay a fine.[10][11]

The University of Washington showed interest in developing an office tower on the site, using the maximum height;[12] former UW professor Phil Thiel instead proposed a public plaza on top of the station, citing the dimensions being similar to those of central squares in European cities.[13]

History

Early proposals

Proposals for rapid transit service to the University District date back to the early 20th century. In 1911, Virgil Bogue proposed an extensive rapid transit system, including an underground subway from Downtown Seattle and Eastlake to Latona (the present-day University District), following 10th Avenue Northeast and intersecting an east–west line on Northeast 45th Street.[14] The proposal was rejected by voters the following year.[15] Another proposal in 1920 included a "rapid transit on surface" for Eastlake Avenue, terminating at 14th Avenue NE in the University District; the proposal's recommendation of a subway system was not acted upon by city leaders at the time.[16]

The Forward Thrust plan of the late 1960s proposed building a four-line rapid transit network using $385 million in local funding to augment a larger federal contribution. One of the proposed lines, traveling between Downtown Seattle and Lake City, included a station at 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 45th Street adjacent to the Burke Museum.[17] The plan was put before voters on two occasions, in February 1968 and May 1970, and failed to gain the needed supermajority to pass.[18]

In the 1990s, the formation of a regional transit authority (RTA) spurred the planning of a modern light rail system for Seattle. In 1995, the transit authority proposed a regional light rail system to be built by 2010, including an at-grade or underground light rail line through the University District with a station near The Ave.[19] The RTA proposal was rejected by voters in March 1995, citing its $6.7 billion price. A smaller, $3.9 billion plan was approved in November 1996,[20] with the University District as its northern terminus; an extension north to Northgate via Roosevelt was deferred until additional funding could be secured.[21]

Planning

The RTA, re-branded as Sound Transit, selected a preferred route for the light rail line in 1999. The northern terminus was to be located on the east side of 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 45th Street, and the line would travel south via a tunnel under Portage Bay towards Downtown Seattle and Rainier Valley, ending at the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.[22] Cost over-runs and withheld funding from the federal government led Sound Transit to truncate its initial light rail line to Downtown in 2001, with the segment north to the University District to be built at a later date.[23] In 2004, Sound Transit selected a route for tunneled light rail extensions through Capitol Hill and the University District and towards Northgate, using the Montlake Cut and including a station in the vicinity of Brooklyn Avenue NE and NE 45th Street.[24]

Only the southernmost segment of the revised route, from Downtown to Husky Stadium on the south side of the university campus, was funded initially as the "University Link Extension". The northern segment to Northgate was split into a separate project, "North Link", and was included on the 2007 Roads and Transit ballot measure, which was put before voters in November 2007. The combined $18 billion proposal was rejected, with environmentalist groups disavowing it over the roadworks portion that sought to expand regional freeways.[25] A second, transit-only measure known as "Sound Transit 2" was approved by voters in November 2008, securing funding for a light rail extension to Northgate.[26] The North Link project was approved by the Sound Transit Board in June 2012, setting a $2.1 billion budget and expected completion date of 2021.[27]

Placement of the Brooklyn station, either on the north or south side of NE 45th Street, was debated by the Sound Transit Board in 2004. Seattle mayor Greg Nickels favored a station on the north side, but other boardmembers sided with community and business groups who wanted a site on the south side.[28] The station site was further complicated the following year by Safeco's decision to expand its headquarters building on the west side of Brooklyn Avenue NE, impacting staging areas that were selected by Sound Transit.[29] Ultimately, Safeco moved its headquarters to a downtown building in 2006, and sold the Brooklyn building to the University of Washington,[30] and the staging areas remained available.

During the planning process, the station was referred to as "Brooklyn", after the street and historic name of the neighborhood. Sound Transit adopted the name "U District" in 2012, after input from public surveys; the abbreviation of "University" was done to avoid re-using the name alongside the University of Washington station at Husky Stadium. The agency also recommended renaming of the University Street station in Downtown Seattle, to avoid confusion with the stations at U District and University of Washington.[31][32]

Construction

External video
Simulation of construction stages (Sound Transit)
Excavation in June 2015

The contract for tunneling and station construction on the project, since renamed the "Northgate Link extension", was awarded by Sound Transit to JCM Northlink LLC, a joint venture of Jay Dee, Coluccio, and Michels, for $462 million in 2013.[33] In May 2013, demolition of an existing Chase Bank branch and a university-owned property began at the future site of the station.[34] In December, a segment of Brooklyn Avenue NE was closed through the work zone as part of final preparations for the station site.[35] Construction of shoring walls and drilling of pilings in the station box was completed from April to August 2014,[36][37] leading to the start of excavation the following month.[38] By the completion of excavation the following summer, over 135,000 cubic yards (103,000 m3) of dirt was removed from the site to reach a depth of 95 feet (29 m).[39] Concrete pouring of the station box began in July 2015, to prepare for the arrival of two tunnel boring machines (TBMs).[40]

The first of the two TBMs to arrive at U District station was "Brenda" on November 6, 2015, completing the northbound tunnel from Northgate via Roosevelt station.[41] The second TBM, "Pamela", arrived later than expected on March 25, 2016, after stopping 650 feet (200 m) north of the station because of damage to the cutterhead and other parts that forced reduced speed to complete the southbound tunnel.[42][43] "Brenda", since renamed "TBM #1",[44] finished both of the remaining tunnels to University of Washington station in March 2016 and September 2016.[45]

Station construction is scheduled to begin in 2017 and last until late 2019. Light rail service at U District station is anticipated to begin in 2021.[2]

Station layout

Street level Exits/Entrances, ticket vending machines, bike storage
Intermediate landing No elevator access
Platform
level		 Northbound ← Link light rail (under construction) toward Northgate (Roosevelt)
Island platform, doors will open on the left
Southbound → Link light rail (under construction) toward Angle Lake (University of Washington) →

U District station will be located on the east side of Brooklyn Avenue NE between NE 43rd and 45th streets. The underground station will have two entrances, a south one at the intersection of Brooklyn and 43rd, and a north one midway between the two cross-streets adjacent to the Neptune Theatre. Both entrances will have ticket vending machines, elevators to the platforms, a set of stairs, and a pair of escalators to the intermediate landing; the south entrance will also have approximately 100 bicycle storage spaces in a covered cage with a bicycle pump, while the north entrance will only have bicycle racks and lockers. The entrances are identified from street level by two accent colors and large graphics with the station name. The intermediate landing leads to two sets of escalators that travel down to the platform, located 80 feet (24 m) below the surface.[2][6]

The station was designed by LMN Architects, a Seattle-based firm that also designed University of Washington station.[46]

Public art will be integrated into the station's design in accordance with the "STart" program, which allocates a percentage of project construction funds to art projects to be used in stations.[47] Lead Pencil Studio was commissioned to create the platform-level artwork at the station. The planned artwork will cover the west wall of the station with depictions of architectural features found in the University District, including fire escapes and windows with screens that display historic images of the neighborhood.[48][49]

References

  1. ↑ "U District Station". Sound Transit. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "U District Station" (PDF). Sound Transit. May 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 19, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Northgate Link Extension Project Folio" (PDF). Sound Transit. May 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  4. ↑ Get Around U-District and Capitol Hill (PDF) (Map). King County Metro. February 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  5. ↑ Growing Transit Communities Oversight Committee (October 2013). "Brooklyn (U District): Future Light Rail/Bus" (PDF). The Growing Transit Communities Strategy. Puget Sound Regional Council. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Light Rail Review Panel Approved Meeting Minutes: U District Station" (PDF). Seattle Design Commission. January 7, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  7. ↑ Thompson, Lynn (November 28, 2013). "Visions for the U District: taller, vital and still funky". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Chapter 4: Zoning Recommendations". U District Urban Design Draft Recommendations (PDF) (Report). Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development. May 27, 2016. p. 27. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  9. ↑ Moreno, Joel (February 9, 2015). "Appeal filed to stop U District rezone allowing 34-story buildings". KOMO 4 News. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Beekman, Daniel (September 12, 2016). "Mayor's plan for Seattle's U District: taller buildings, some affordable housing". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  11. ↑ Miller, Brian (September 14, 2016). "Mayor unveils upzone proposal for U District". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  12. ↑ Young, Bob; Beekman, Daniel (August 23, 2015). "Plans for U District station spark debate". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ Lindblom, Mike (August 17, 2012). "Plans for U District station spark debate". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ Bogue, Virgil (1911). "Appendix No. III—Proposed Rapid Transit System". Plan of Seattle: Report of the Municipal Plans Commission. Seattle, Washington: Lowman & Hanford. p. 182. OCLC 1440455. Retrieved August 15, 2016 – via Google Books.
  15. ↑ McRoberts, Patrick (November 4, 1998). "Seattle defeats Bogue Improvement Plan on March 5, 1912.". HistoryLink. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  16. ↑ "2008 Find of the Month Archive: 1920 rapid transit plan". Seattle Municipal Archives. June 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  17. ↑ De Leuw, Cather & Company (February 19, 1970). "Chapter 2: Design and Development". The Rapid Transit Plan for the Metropolitan Seattle Area. Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle. p. 16. OCLC 120953.
  18. ↑ "Voters reject rail transit plan and three other Forward Thrust bond proposals on May 19, 1970.". HistoryLink. September 19, 2002. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Regional Transit Service Proposal: Seattle & North King County" (PDF). Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority. March 1995. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  20. ↑ Schaefer, David (November 6, 1996). "Voters back transit plan on fourth try". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Regional transit history, 1996: Sound Move and the Regional Transit Long-Range Vision". Sound Transit. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Sound Transit Board achieves historic milestone by selecting route for central Link light rail" (Press release). Sound Transit. November 18, 1999. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  23. ↑ Brunner, Jim (June 29, 2001). "Sound Transit looks south for its first line". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Sound Transit Board selects route for extending light rail north" (Press release). Sound Transit. April 22, 2004. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  25. ↑ Lindblom, Mike (November 29, 2007). "Prop. 1 too big, costly to pass, survey finds". The Seattle Times. p. B3. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  26. ↑ Lindblom, Mike (November 6, 2008). "How transit supporters closed deal with voters". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  27. ↑ Ervin, Kevin (June 28, 2012). "Light-rail plan moves ahead in Bellevue; UW-Northgate project OK'd". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  28. ↑ Pryne, Eric (April 23, 2004). "Consensus reached on new light-rail line—But Sound Transit board splits on plans for Northgate route". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  29. ↑ Pryne, Eric (June 10, 2005). "University station runs into obstacle". The Seattle Times. p. B2. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  30. ↑ Allison, Melissa (August 29, 2006). "UW acquires Safeco tower for $130 million". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2012-36: Adopting Station and Facility Names for the North Link and University Link Projects (Staff Report)" (PDF). Sound Transit. June 28, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  32. ↑ Radil, Amy (June 18, 2012). "Naming Light Rail Stations Not As Simple As It Seems". KUOW. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2013-50" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 25, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Construction update - U District Station - 5/7/2013". Sound Transit. May 7, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Construction alert: U District Station 12/13 - Light rail construction begins in U District". Sound Transit. December 13, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  36. ↑ Richard, Terry (September 1, 2014). "Seattle catching up to Portland in light rail department with line to Northgate". The Oregonian. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Project update - Northgate Link 08/2014". Sound Transit. August 29, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Construction update: U District Station - 8/7/2014". Sound Transit. August 7, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Construction update: U District Station - 9/4/2014". Sound Transit. September 4, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  40. ↑ "U District Station construction update - 7/21/15". Sound Transit. July 21, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Brenda arrives in the U District". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. November 9, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  42. ↑ Lindblom, Mike (February 11, 2016). "Another Seattle tunnel drill (not Bertha) damaged, needs repair". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Second Sound Transit tunnel boring machine reaches U District Station site" (Press release). Sound Transit. March 24, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  44. ↑ Bush, Mike (March 28, 2016). "Thanks to Bertha, Sound Transit nixes nicknames for its own tunnel machines". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Sound Transit wraps up tunneling from Husky Stadium to Northgate". KING 5 News. September 2, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Open house Thursday on U District station". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. January 13, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  47. ↑ "STart Public Art Program". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  48. ↑ McNichols, Joshua (January 12, 2016). "What Do You Think Of These U-District Light Rail Station Designs?". KUOW. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  49. ↑ Mazhukhina, Karina (January 22, 2016). "Sound Transit presents latest designs for U-District Station". City Living Seattle. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
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