Earlier this week, Sound Transit and the City of Bellevue announced a proposed agreement to move forward with construction on East Link light rail line.  Congressman Smith released the following statement on the agreement:

“I applaud Sound Transit, the City of Bellevue, King County and other stakeholders for working together to form an agreement regarding the East Link light rail.  This agreement marks a major step towards building a more efficient and effective regional transit system that will benefit the regional economy.  As this agreement is publicly discussed and debated, I stand ready to assist in any way I can.”
 
Congressman Smith has been actively involved in this process.  This engagement included a stakeholder roundtable hosted by the Congressman last fall, where attendees discussed challenges and opportunities within the corridor.  Leaders from local government, the private sector, non-profits and neighborhood groups were in attendance.  The Congressman and his staff remained engaged with stakeholders and will closely follow developments as they happen.