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110-691: A Link light rail station, named Bellevue Downtown , was built to the east of the transit center near the Bellevue City Hall . The station is at the east portal of the Downtown Bellevue tunnel and has two entrances at 110th and 112th avenues. It opened in 2024 as part of the initial starter segment of the 2 Line . The bus platforms for Bellevue Transit Center are located on one block of Northeast 6th Street between Northeast 108th Street and Northeast 110th Street in Downtown Bellevue . The original transit center in downtown Bellevue

220-433: A proof-of-payment system, requiring valid payment before boarding and lacking a turnstile barrier at stations. Fares can be purchased as paper tickets at ticket vending machines at stations, credit or passes loaded on an ORCA card , or through a mobile ticketing app. Fare ambassadors employed by Sound Transit check for valid fares while aboard trains or in the fare-paid zone of stations. Passengers who do not present

330-460: A suburb , a boomburb , or an edge city . The population was 151,854 at the 2020 census . The city's name is derived from the French term belle vue ("beautiful view"). Bellevue is home to some of the world's largest technology companies. Before and after the 2008 recession, its downtown area has been undergoing rapid change with many high-rise projects being constructed. Downtown Bellevue

440-600: A "realignment plan" in 2021 that delayed most projects by two to five years, primarily to address a $ 6.5 billion shortfall in projected revenue that would be needed to avoid reaching a state-imposed debt limit by 2029. The cost estimate for the largest project in the ST3 package, the West Seattle/Ballard Link Extension, increased by 50 percent between 2019 and 2021, reaching $ 12 billion due to higher property values and lower revenue amid

550-493: A $ 6.7 billion plan (equivalent to $ 12.2 billion in 2023 dollars) with a 70-mile (110 km) light rail network, which would connect Seattle to Lynnwood , Bellevue , and Tacoma , was rejected by 53 percent of voters on March 14, 1995. A revised plan announced the following year cut the light rail line to 25 miles (40 km) between Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and University District in Seattle and

660-421: A Mayor from among its members (not by popular vote), who serves as council chair for two years but has no veto power. As of 2022 , the mayor is Lynne Robinson and the deputy mayor is Jared Nieuwenhuis. The mayor administrates council meetings, helps set the issues on the council's meeting agendas, and serves as the city's most visible spokesperson. Operational authority is held by the city manager , who administers

770-501: A Series 3 that would have approximately 100 vehicles. It is expected to begin delivery in 2029 and be complete in 2032 for the first batch of ST3 projects. The T Line fleet consists of three low-floor articulated Škoda 10 T streetcars that were manufactured in the Czech Republic by Škoda Transportation . They are 66 feet (20.12 m) long, 8 feet (2.44 m) wide, and have two articulation joints, between which

880-520: A bill was introduced in the Washington State Legislature that would have raised allowable densities (as well as lowering parking requirements and easing some other regulations on development) in station areas. As part of Sound Transit 3 in 2016, the Washington State Legislature mandated that Sound Transit reserve at least 80% of the surplus land surrounding light rail stations for affordable housing developments. Other transit in

990-441: A community, consisting mostly of logging homesteaders, had established itself. Once the land had been logged, it was gradually cleared, largely by Japanese immigrant labor in the early 20th century, to support small-scale farming on leased land plots. By the early part of the 20th century, Bellevue had acquired a reputation as a weekend getaway destination for Seattle residents, who would arrive by ferry at Meydenbauer Bay and spend

1100-862: A facility in Tacoma. As of 2021 , the Link light rail system uses a total of 102 low-floor light rail vehicles—99 for the 1 Line and 3 for the T ;Line. The 1 Line fleet comprises two models, the Series ;1 by Kinkisharyo – Mitsui and the Series 2 by Siemens Mobility , that are both 95 feet (29 m) long with a pair of operator cabs and an articulated center. Both models are able to run in four-car consists but do not have cross-compatibility. All Link vehicles allow for level boarding and feature accessible seating areas that can be folded up for wheelchair users. A form of positive train control

1210-766: A light rail system approved by voters in 1988. Metro's transit tunnel opened for buses in September 1990 and included tracks and electrical systems that would be compatible for future conversion to light rail. In 1993, the state legislature formed a new agency, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (commonly known as Sound Transit ), to oversee development of an inter-county transit system that would include light rail, commuter rail , and express buses in King, Pierce , and Snohomish counties. A ballot measure to fund

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1320-648: A major engineering facility in downtown Bellevue. As of 2020 , there are several high-rise office buildings in Downtown Bellevue that are under construction or in active planning and design phases, including Bellevue 600 , part of a major Amazon campus. Several high-rise residential buildings are also planned in downtown, spurred in part by future light rail service, on former retail and low-rise commercial lots. As of 2024 , Amazon has 12,000 employees in Bellevue and has reduced its workforce in Seattle. By

1430-625: A new program of fare ambassadors. Fares for the 1 Line and 2 Line are a flat rate of $ 3 for adults, $ 1 for passengers eligible for reduced fares, and free for people 18 years old or younger. The T Line has an adult fare of $ 2 and a reduced fare of $ 1. Reduced fares are available to elderly passengers, persons with disabilities, and low-income passengers enrolled in ORCA Lift. Transfers from other modes, including buses, water taxis , and streetcars , are only accepted using ORCA cards. Since September 2022, fares for passengers under

1540-626: A normal capacity of 194 passengers with up to 74 seats. The line connects Northgate , the University of Washington , and Downtown Seattle to the Rainier Valley and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , using tunnels, elevated guideways, and surface-running sections. Trains run every 8 minutes during peak periods and 10–15 minutes at other times with trips from 4:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 5:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Sundays. In 2019,

1650-464: A potential tunnel in the form of cash, services, free access to rights-of-way and one-time tax revenues that result from the East Link project. In November 2011, the city council signed an agreement with Sound Transit. Tunnel construction started in early 2016 while the remainder of downtown Bellevue construction began in mid-2017. As of July 2023, former Bellevue City Council member Claudia Balducci

1760-538: A section connecting Downtown Tacoma to the Tacoma Dome . The new package, estimated to cost $ 3.9 billion (equivalent to $ 7 billion in 2023 dollars) with funding from a sales tax and motor vehicle excise tax , was approved by voters on November 5, 1996. In August 1997, Sound Transit adopted "Link" as the name for the light rail system along with Sounder for commuter rail and Regional Express for buses. The Downtown Tacoma line, named Tacoma Link ,

1870-607: A station serving Mercer Island; and from Redmond Technology to Downtown Redmond station . A series of construction issues with the Interstate 90 section has caused the line to be split into separate phases, beginning with an initial segment in April 2024 from South Bellevue station to Redmond Technology station in Overlake. The 2 Line would continue north from Seattle to Lynnwood and southern Everett by sharing tracks with

1980-557: A tunneled option that would have to be funded by an external source. The city of Bellevue agreed to fund the remainder, but the placement of the station remained controversial as leaders were split between a tunneled station closer to the city center, a surface alignment, and an elevated station along I-405. The final routing was approved in 2013 by the Bellevue City Council and Sound Transit, choosing an open-air station that would save $ 19 to $ 33 million compared to one inside

2090-427: A valid ticket or validated ORCA card are offered warnings, fined one of two citation amounts, or receive a civil infraction . Until 2021, fare inspectors and transit police officers on the 1 Line checked fares and issued warnings or a $ 124 citation to passengers who did not present a valid form of payment. The penalties for non-paying riders were suspended due to racial disparities and late replaced in 2022 with

2200-484: A wheelchair area, and two bicycle hooks above luggage storage areas. The trains have a top speed of 58 miles per hour (93 km/h), but typically operate at 35 mph (56 km/h) on surface sections and 55 mph (89 km/h) on elevated and tunneled sections. The Series 2 fleet, retroactively designated the Siemens S700 , was commissioned in 2016 as part of a $ 642 million order to support

2310-503: Is 4 miles (6.4 km) long and has twelve stations that serve the University of Washington 's Tacoma campus , museums, hospitals, and other facilities. It runs primarily in traffic lanes, sharing the Commerce Street transit mall with buses, and uses a mix of single and double-tracked sections. Service on the original 1.6-mile (2.6 km) section between Tacoma Dome Station and Downtown Tacoma began on August 26, 2003, and

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2420-437: Is a low-floor section. Each vehicle has 30 seats and can carry an additional 85 standing passengers at crush loads. The Škoda fleet will be supplemented in 2023 by a set of five Brookville Liberty streetcars, which were ordered in 2017. The Brookville Liberty streetcars each have 26 seats and can carry a total of 100 passengers; they were delivered in 2022. Trains are supplied electricity through an overhead catenary that

2530-609: Is currently the second-largest city center in Washington state, with 1,300 businesses, 45,000 employees, and 10,200 residents. In a 2018 estimate, the city's median household income was among the top five cities in the state of Washington. In 2008, Bellevue was number one in CNNMoney 's list of the best places to live and launch a business, and in 2010 was again ranked as the fourth-best place to live in America. In 2014, Bellevue

2640-726: Is energized at 1,500 volts direct current for the 1 Line and 700 volts for the T Line. The current is converted to three-phase alternating current through on-board inverters . The 1 Line's use of 1,500 V allowed for a reduced number of electrical substations , which are spaced approximately one mile (1.6 km) apart. Since December 2020, the Link light rail system has been running fully on carbon emissions -free renewable energy through Puget Sound Energy 's wind electricity purchase program and Seattle City Light 's fully carbon-neutral power supply. Link light rail uses some form of positive train control and train-to-wayside communications. The Link light rail system

2750-429: Is located between SODO and Beacon Hill stations. It opened in 2007 and has a capacity of 105 light rail vehicles, including nine bays inside the 162,000-square-foot (15,100 m ) maintenance building that can hold 16 vehicles. An additional maintenance facility in Bellevue is planned to open with the 2 Line with a capacity of 96 vehicles. T Line trains are directly operated by Sound Transit and maintained at

2860-495: Is located in Bellevue, serving students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8 . At the elementary level, Bellevue is home to several Montessori schools, the Eastside's only Waldorf education at Three Cedars School, as well as Bellevue Christian School . The Seattle Japanese School , a Japanese weekend supplementary school , holds its classes in Bellevue. Bellevue is an economic hub of the Seattle region's Eastside and home to

2970-503: Is planned to be completed in 2023. Some sections of the railroad in Bellevue were demolished in 2008 to make way for the expansion of I-405 and will require the construction of additional structures to supplement the existing right of way. The city once had an operating airfield named Bellevue Airfield , which shut down in 1983. Bellevue has a council-manager form of government with seven non-partisan council members elected at large for staggered four-year terms. The City Council selects

3080-519: Is planned to be expanded to 116 miles (187 km) with five lines and 70 stations by 2044. The future system is anticipated to serve 750,000 daily passengers at full build-out and cost up to $ 131 billion. The expansions are primarily funded through local taxes passed by voters in a pair of multimodal transit ballot measures . The Sound Transit 2 (ST2) package, passed in 2008, funded several extensions to be finished by 2025, including three that opened between 2016 and 2021. Sound Transit 3 (ST3)

3190-401: Is scheduled to be extended west to Seattle and east to Downtown Redmond by 2025. Sound Transit plans to expand the Link light rail network to 116 miles (187 km) and 83 stations by 2044, using funding approved by voters in 2008 and 2016 ballot measures. A suburban extension to Federal Way is scheduled to open in 2026 after construction delays. Later projects will expand the system to cover

3300-505: Is used to prevent trains from exceeding the set speed limit for a given area. By 2025, the Link fleet will have 214 total vehicles for use on the 1 Line and 2 Line as well as five for the T Line. The Series 1 fleet of 62 cars, manufactured in Osaka and assembled in Everett, was divided into three orders beginning with a contract signed in 2003. The first vehicle

3410-676: The 1 Line (formerly Central Link) in King County and Snohomish County , which travels for 33 miles (53 km) between Lynnwood , Seattle , and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport ; the 2 Line in King County's Eastside region between Bellevue and Redmond ; and the T ;Line (formerly Tacoma Link) in Pierce County , which runs for 4 miles (6.4 km) between Downtown Tacoma and Tacoma Dome Station . In 2023,

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3520-510: The 2010 census , there were 122,363 people, 50,355 households, and 32,145 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,827.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,477.9/km ). There were 55,551 housing units at an average density of 1,737.6 per square mile (670.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 62.6% White, 2.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 27.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.1% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.0% of

3630-610: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), all Link stations include accessible seating, signage with Braille lettering, pathways, level boarding , and tactile paving on the edge of platforms. Platforms for both lines have a minimum width of 12 feet (3.7 m) each for a pair of side platforms and 20 feet (6.1 m) for an at-grade center platform . The majority of the 1 Line's stations are grade-separated, either underground or elevated, on exclusive right-of-way; several sections have at-grade stations, including in

3740-522: The Mercer Slough , south of present-day downtown Bellevue. It was from this village that an attack on the settlers of Elliott Bay was staged. The Duwamish also had a village near Factoria called 'pah-pah-DEEL'. Bellevue was first settled by European Americans in 1869 by William Meydenbauer and Aaron Mercer, who claimed homestead tracts several miles apart. Both moved away within a few years, and permanent residents did not arrive until 1879. By 1882,

3850-499: The Seattle Municipal Street Railway , a city-owned network established in 1918, while others remained under the operation of their private owners. Unsuccessful proposals for a rapid transit system to connect Seattle's neighborhoods, and later other cities in the region, also emerged during the peak and later decline of streetcar and interurban service, both of which were dismantled by 1941. Following

3960-513: The Tacoma Dome . In 2019, the line carried approximately 935,000 passengers and averaged 3,100 riders on weekdays. Patronage peaked in 2012 at over 1 million passengers, but has declined since then. Fares were not collected until the 2023 opening of the Hilltop Extension; the T Line was the first Link line to use a flat fare rather than a distance-based fare. As of 2024 , the Link light rail system has 43 stations —23 on

4070-491: The University District ; a northern extension from Ballard to Northgate and Lake City ; a line serving Aurora Avenue North ; a line serving Denny Way ; a line that follows 23rd Avenue; and additional connections from Tukwila International Boulevard station to West Seattle and SoDo. The 2 Line is scheduled to be extended in 2025 with the opening of two additional sections: from Seattle to Bellevue with

4180-733: The University Link Tunnel , on March 19, 2016. In September 2019, Sound Transit renamed Central Link to the Red Line and Tacoma Link to the Orange Line as part of their update to transit branding. Two months later, the agency announced that it would consider a new name for the Red Line after complaints because of the similarity of the "Red Line" with redlining as well as confusion over King County Metro 's RapidRide system (which utilizes red bullets for its service routes). A new naming scheme came into effect in 2021, using

4290-590: The "1 Line" (green) for the existing line in Seattle, the "2 Line" (blue) for East Link, and the "T Line" (orange) for Tacoma Link. Future light rail extensions will use the "3 Line" (magenta) and the "4 Line" (purple), alongside new names for Sounder and bus rapid transit services. The 1 Line , formerly Central Link, is a light rail line serving 23 stations in Lynnwood , Mountlake Terrace , Shoreline , Seattle , Tukwila , and SeaTac . It uses trains of three to four cars that each have

4400-616: The 1 Line (and later the 3 Line). The western half of the East Link Extension is being built in the median of Interstate 90 , including a section on a floating bridge that would be first railway of its kind in the world. The 3 Line is planned to open in 2032 with the completion of the West Seattle Link Extension , which would connect West Seattle to an interim terminus at SODO station . The line would be extended north to replace

4510-537: The 1 Line carried over 25 million passengers and averaged nearly 80,000 on weekdays, making it the busiest transit route in the Seattle region. The initial 13.9-mile (22.4 km) segment of Central Link was opened on July 18, 2009, between Westlake and Tukwila International Boulevard stations. The northernmost four stations, in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel , were shared with buses until they were rerouted in 2019. The line

Bellevue Transit Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

4620-769: The 1 Line following the completion of the Ballard Link Extension in 2037, which would include a new 3.3-mile (5.3 km) tunnel in Downtown Seattle for trains arriving from the Rainier Valley. The final terminus of the 3 Line is planned to be Everett Station , a multimodal hub in Downtown Everett, upon completion of the Everett Link Extension in 2037 or 2041 depending on funding. The 4 Line,

4730-437: The 1 Line, 8 on the 2 Line and 12 on the T Line. The two lines use different types of station designs but share several features, including weather canopies, signage, information kiosks, ticket vending machines , seating, electronic information displays , bicycle parking , and public artwork . The system also uses proof-of-payment for fare validation with paid fare zones in lieu of faregates . To comply with

4840-466: The 1968 and 1970 rejection of the Forward Thrust ballot measure to build a rapid transit system, voters in King County approved the creation of a new countywide bus system under the management of Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle , an existing water treatment and sewage agency. The system began operating in 1973 and later included the construction of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel in

4950-604: The 2 Line serves Bellevue and Redmond. The 4 Line, connecting Kirkland to Issaquah, would interline with the 2 Line in Downtown Bellevue. In addition to the new lines, three infill stations in Seattle are planned to be built by 2031 at Boeing Access Road, Graham, and Northeast 130th Street . In 2023, the Seattle Department of Transportation published its 20-year city transportation plan that included proposals for additional Link light rail lines. These include an east–west connection between Ballard and

5060-470: The 2020s and 2030s, the 1 Line would run from Tacoma Dome Station to Downtown Seattle, where it would use a new tunnel, and continue northwest to Ballard . The 2 Line and 3 Line would interline from the existing Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel on the existing 1 Line corridor to Snohomish County, sharing tracks as far north as Mariner in southern Everett. The 3 Line would continue south to West Seattle and north to Downtown Everett, while

5170-628: The City's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: The city has numerous thriving commercial districts, with four major shopping centers: Bellevue Square in the downtown area, Factoria Mall to the south, Crossroads Mall to the east, and the Overlake Shopping District in the north. As of 2018, one in three Bellevue residents was born outside the United States, most likely due to

5280-565: The Downtown. Bellevue was also served by a railroad , a Burlington Northern branch line known as the Woodinville Subdivision , which included the historic Wilburton Trestle . The line is now disused, though part of the track bed at Wilburton Station will be reused by Sound Transit's light-rail construction. Construction of Eastrail , a rail trail on the abandoned Woodinville Subdivision right of way through Bellevue,

5390-504: The Eastside opened on April 27, 2024, while work on the Seattle–Bellevue and Downtown Redmond sections continue. The remainder of the line is expected to open in 2025 with additional stations in Seattle, Mercer Island , and Redmond. The T Line , formerly Tacoma Link, is a streetcar line that connects Downtown Tacoma and nearby neighborhoods to Tacoma Dome Station , a regional hub for buses and Sounder commuter rail . The line

5500-589: The Puget Sound lowland, Bellevue has a mild oceanic climate . It also has frequent rain showers from October to May, with precipitation levels typically being over 2 inches (51 mm). On average, the hottest month is July, while January is the coldest. Bellevue gets an average of 32.02 inches (813 mm) of rain per year, based on data from 1981 to 2013. However, the city published an analysis of rainfall stating that 2016 saw an usually high 47.14 inches (1,197 mm) of rainfall, and that rainfall in 2014–2016

5610-460: The Rainier Valley and SODO . These stations have platforms that are 380 feet (120 m) long to accommodate four-car trainsets and are connected to entrance structures at street level by stairs, elevators, and escalators. T Line platforms are typically 90 feet (27 m) long and at-grade with exits to adjacent sidewalks. Some stations also feature parking lots, public restrooms , retail spaces, and designated busking areas. Link uses

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5720-688: The ST2 expansion program. The vehicles were manufactured in Sacramento, California , and are the same length and width as the Series 1 fleet, but feature a wider aisle in the articulated section, improved passenger information displays, and larger windows. The first vehicle was delivered in June 2019 and entered service in May 2021; the final car in the full 152-car order is planned to be delivered by 2024. In 2022, Sound Transit began planning specifications for

5830-652: The United States: Bellevue, Washington Bellevue ( / ˈ b ɛ l v j uː / BEL -vew ) is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington , United States, located across Lake Washington from Seattle . It is the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area , and the fifth-largest city in Washington . It has variously been characterized as a satellite city ,

5940-409: The age of 19 have been free as part of a statewide transit grant. Prior to August 30, 2024, fares on the 1 Line and 2 Line were calculated based on distance traveled, ranging from $ 2.25 to $ 3.50 for adults. ORCA card users were required to tap a reader before and after riding a train to calculate the fare; the full fare of $ 3.50 was charged upon boarding and the difference was credited after

6050-522: The airport in December 2009, north to the University of Washington in March 2016, and further south to Angle Lake station in September 2016. An extension to Northgate station opened on October 2, 2021, and a further extension to Lynnwood Transit Center opened on August 30, 2024. The first phase of the 2 Line opened on April 27, 2024, between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations. It

6160-547: The app-based service is funded by the city's hotel room tax and fare-free for passengers. The 2 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system is planned to run from Seattle through Mercer Island and Bellevue before ending in Redmond. The $ 3.7 billion project was approved by voters in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure. It began construction in 2016 and was scheduled to begin service in 2023, but

6270-489: The area began to evolve into a bedroom community . In 1942, the Bellevue Strawberry Festival was cancelled. The primary reason was that some 90 percent of the agricultural workforce in the area was of Japanese ancestry, and all of these farmers and their families had been forcibly interned in camps following the start of World War II. The fair would not be revived for another 45 years. Following

6380-403: The average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males. The median income for a household in the city

6490-496: The boundaries of Lake Washington School District , Renton School District and Issaquah School District . At the higher education level the city is home to Bellevue College , part of the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system. Bellevue is home to Open Window School , an independent school serving gifted students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle

6600-538: The building of developments such as Lincoln Square and the Bravern. Bellevue Square is located in downtown Bellevue and is now one of the largest shopping centers in the region. Opened in 1946, the mall has undergone several significant phases of expansion since the 1980s. The city's plans include the Bel-Red Corridor Project, a large-scale planning effort to encourage the redevelopment of

6710-614: The city is served by the Bellevue School District . There are four main public high schools – Bellevue High School , Interlake High School , Newport High School , and Sammamish High School – as well as two choice lottery high schools, International School and Big Picture School. Newsweek's 2015 ranking of U.S. public high schools placed Interlake at #359 and Newport at #391, with both schools noted for equitably helping low-income students meet average scores on standardized tests. Portions of Bellevue also lie within

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6820-488: The city's day-to-day activities. The city manager is also elected by the seven members of the council instead of by popular vote. Politically, the city leans strongly Democratic, much like the Seattle/King County area as a whole. Of the 61,742 residents who cast ballots in the 2016 U.S. presidential election , 66.11% voted for Hillary Clinton , compared to 24.58% for Donald Trump . The vast majority of

6930-409: The city. The population density was 3,563.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,375.8/km ). There were 48,396 housing units at an average density of 607.7/km (1,574.0/mi ). The racial makeup of the city was 74.33% White, 1.99% African American, 0.32% Native American, 17.39% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 2.54% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.32% of

7040-512: The day at nearby Wildwood Park. After the ferry landing was moved to Medina , however, tourism to Bellevue waned. To counter this decline, the Bellevue Strawberry Festival was conceived of in 1925, and by the 1930s it had grown to attract as many as 15,000 visitors. At the time, Bellevue was still a small town with around 2,000 residents. Prior to the opening of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in 1940, Bellevue

7150-491: The downtown business district and is connected to Interstate 405 by NE 6th St. and a direct-access Texas T HOV ramp. Local buses run into Kirkland , Redmond , Issaquah , Renton , and the University District ; regional buses go to Bothell , Lynnwood , Everett , Seattle , Renton , Kent and Auburn , among other cities. An electric microtransit shuttle service operated by Circuit, Inc. began operating in August 2023;

7260-423: The east end of a tunnel under downtown Bellevue and the west end of an elevated bridge across Interstate 405 leading towards Wilburton station . The station would have two entrances, on 110th and 112th, and comprise two side platforms . The ballot measure that approved East Link in 2008 only included money for an at-grade alignment in Downtown Bellevue, leaving a $ 100 million to $ 200 million funding shortfall for

7370-514: The expulsion of the ethnic Japanese farming community, a large quantity of farmland became available for development. This made way for the initial development of the Bellevue downtown area. Bellevue incorporated as a third-class city on the March 31, 1953. Following the 1963 opening of a second bridge across the lake, the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge , the city began to grow more rapidly. The Crossroads community

7480-510: The fifth Link light rail line, is scheduled to open in 2041 or 2044, depending on funding availability, and would only serve the Eastside. The line is planned to run from the South Kirkland park-and-ride towards Downtown Bellevue , where it would interline with the 2 Line, and continue along Interstate 90 to Issaquah . It is planned to include four new stations and total 11.8 miles (19.0 km) in length; an earlier proposal for

7590-460: The headquarters of various sizes, including the U.S. operations for many international firms. Since 2005, the city has become a hub for software engineering and other technology development centers. These include PACCAR Inc , T-Mobile US , Eddie Bauer , SAP Concur , and Symetra . Bellevue hosts a number of satellite offices for large technology companies such as eBay , Meta , ByteDance , Oracle , Salesforce , Google , and Microsoft ; Microsoft

7700-534: The incorporated city. South of I-90, the city continues up Cougar Mountain , at the top of which is an unincorporated King County location called Hilltop. To the west of Cougar Mountain, Bellevue includes the Coal Creek , Somerset, and Factoria neighborhoods. Bellevue is bordered by the cities of Kirkland to the north and Redmond to the northeast along the Overlake and Crossroads neighborhoods. Across

7810-453: The large Bel-Red section of the city bordering the adjacent city of Redmond which is a major employment area in the city. Patterned after the redevelopment of the downtown core, plans include superblock mixed-use projects similar to Lincoln Square , premised on private construction and the development of infrastructure such as the 2 Line of Link light rail that will extend to the Eastside. Bellevue lies between Lake Washington to

7920-484: The late 1980s to relieve bus congestion on downtown streets. Metro and the Puget Sound Council of Governments also began planning a regional transit system at that time; a joint 1981 study named light rail as the preferred mode that would be able to operate on streets in some areas but generally follow freeway corridors to regional centers. A non-binding advisory ballot measure on further development of

8030-514: The late 2010s, Microsoft had become the largest employer in Bellevue, where it had several offices to supplement its headquarters campus in Redmond. The company's workforce in the city peaked at 9,300 in 2021 and later declined as it consolidated offices at its headquarters and vacated its leased offices pace in Downtown Bellevue and Eastgate. Other technology companies, including ByteDance and The Pokémon Company International, have since expanded their office leases in Downtown Bellevue. According to

8140-571: The line continued on the Cross Kirkland Corridor to a terminus in Downtown Kirkland but was not included in the ST3 plan due to opposition from local residents. Some figures and dates are provisional due to quality control, geological risk, and labor issues that have caused delays in some projects. An expressed purpose in building the Link light rail system has been to support a "smart growth" approach to handling

8250-443: The line to over 33 miles (53 km). The 2 Line connects the Eastside suburbs of Bellevue and Redmond . It has 6.6 miles (10.6 km) of tracks and eight stations with termini at South Bellevue station and Redmond Technology station . Construction of the line, also known as the East Link Extension, was funded by the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure and began in 2016 at a cost of $ 3.7 billion. The initial phase on

8360-492: The metropolitan area from Everett to Tacoma, along with branches to Kirkland , Issaquah , and the Seattle neighborhoods of Ballard and West Seattle . The first public transit networks in the Puget Sound region were various streetcar , cable cars , and interurbans constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which spurred the development of streetcar suburbs . Some of these systems were consolidated into

8470-408: The pandemic. A set of new delays, mainly affecting Sound Transit 2 projects, was announced in 2022 following a four-month regional strike by concrete truck drivers, as well as unexpected conditions discovered during work. All five lines are planned to connect at various hubs and interline in some areas to increase frequency in high-demand corridors. Upon completion of several planned extensions in

8580-408: The population. There were 45,836 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and

8690-441: The population. There were 50,355 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.2% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

8800-400: The prevalence of multinational technology companies in the city. Around 23% of Bellevue's well-educated workforce are in engineering or science-related industries. About half of its residents identify as a person of color or ethnic minority. According to a 2018 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $ 113,698. In a 2020 survey of Centers for Disease Control data, Bellevue

8910-801: The region's population growth and development. By concentrating new development along light rail lines (a practice known as " transit-oriented development "), more people can live more densely without the increases in automotive commuting traffic that might otherwise be expected. In addition, the concentration of residents near stations helps maintain ridership and revenue. Climate change activists also point out that compact development around light rail lines has been shown to result in reductions in residents' CO 2 emissions, compared to more conventional suburban automotive commutes. Environmentalists, transportation groups and some affordable housing advocates have sought greater government regulatory support for transit-oriented development along Link light rail, and in 2009

9020-458: The second tap. A daily charge for parking at stations is also under consideration. 1 Line trains are operated and maintained by King County Metro , who also run paratransit service along the corridor. The Central Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) in SODO is used to store, maintain, and clean trains during off-peak and overnight hours. The facility covers 26 acres (10.5 ha) and

9130-785: The short East Channel Bridge , I-90 connects Bellevue to Mercer Island to the southwest. Issaquah is to the east, down I-90 at the south end of Lake Sammamish. The city is bordered to the west by many affluent suburbs such as Medina , Clyde Hill , Hunts Point and Yarrow Point . The south end of Bellevue is bordered by the city of Renton , and to the southeast, the relatively recently incorporated city of Newcastle . Neighborhoods within Bellevue include Bellecrest, Bel-Red , Bridle Trails , Crossroads , Eastgate /Cougar Mountain, Enatai, Factoria , Lake Hills , Newport , Newport Hills, Northeast Bellevue, Northwest Bellevue, Overlake , Sammamish/East Bellevue, Somerset , Sunset, Tam O'Shanter, West Bellevue, Wilburton , and Woodridge. Like much of

9240-426: The system had a ridership of 23.9 million, or about 94,500 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024, primarily on the 1 Line. Trains run at frequencies of 6 to 24 minutes. The Link light rail system was originally conceived in the 1980s following several earlier proposals for a heavy rail system that were rejected by voters. Sound Transit was created in 1993 and placed a ballot measure to fund and build

9350-526: The system, which was passed on a second attempt in 1996. Tacoma Link began construction first in 2000 and opened on August 22, 2003, at a cost of $ 80 million. Central Link construction was delayed because of funding issues and routing disputes, but began in November 2003 and was completed on July 18, 2009, for $ 2.4 billion. Central Link trains initially ran from Downtown Seattle to Tukwila International Boulevard station before being extended south to

9460-403: The transit center as part of the project's second phase; a customer service kiosk, bicycle facilities, a public restroom, and a police station were added. A city-funded travel assistance service was based out of the facility beginning in 2008. The center closed in December 2020 for light rail construction. A direct access ramp from Northeast 6th Street to Interstate 405 for buses and carpools

9570-455: The tunnel. The station opened on April 27, 2024, as part of the initial segment of the 2 Line between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations. Link light rail Link light rail is a light rail rapid transit system serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington . It is managed by Sound Transit in partnership with local transit providers, and consists of three non-connected lines:

9680-658: The upper reaches of Bellevue. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 37.505 square miles (97.14 km ), of which 33.468 square miles (86.68 km ) is land and 4.037 square miles (10.46 km ) is water. The city's name is derived from a French term for "beautiful view". Under favorable weather conditions, scenic vistas of the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Mountains can be viewed from hilltops (and strategically positioned high-rise buildings) within

9790-580: The west and the smaller Lake Sammamish to the east. Much of Bellevue is drained by the Kelsey Creek watershed, whose source is located in the Larsen Lake and Phantom Lake green belt and whose outlet is near where Interstate 90 meets Lake Washington's eastern shore. The city is bisected by Interstate 405 running north–south, and the southern portion is crossed from west to east by Interstate 90. The State Route 520 freeway roughly delineates

9900-467: The year. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, debates raged over various issues surrounding the Central Link line, which would connect Sea-Tac to Seattle. In the late nineties and early 2000s, Sound Transit underwent a series of financial and political difficulties. The cost of the line rose significantly, and the federal government threatened to withhold necessary grants. In 2001, Sound Transit

10010-470: Was $ 62,338, and the median income for a family was $ 76,868. Males had a median income of $ 56,456 versus $ 37,124 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 36,905. About 3.8% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. Bellevue is the site of the annual Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair (originally Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Fair), held since 1947 during

10120-438: Was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in the city was 38.5 years. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.8% were from 25 to 44; 26.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.1% male and 49.9% female. As of the 2000 census , there were 109,569 people, 45,836 households, and 29,060 families residing in

10230-463: Was 4,538.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,752.2/km ). There were 64,688 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 44.7% White , 2.6% African American , 0.4% Native American , 40.6% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 3.4% from some other races and 8.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3% of the population. 20.0% of residents were under the age of 18, 4.9% were under 5 years of age, and 14.6% were 65 and older. As of

10340-601: Was a member of the Sound Transit Board of Directors. The City of Bellevue has undertaken an extensive "Bel-Red Area Transformation" process which seeks to plan some 900 acres (3.6 km ) in the Spring District in the city's northern portion, all of which has been premised on the extension of light rail to the Eastside under Sound Transit 2. The top-down and highly integrated land use and transportation planning has been similar to earlier planning for

10450-505: Was also opened in 2004. Bellevue Transit Center was selected as the site of a light rail station as part of the East Link Extension , funded by a regional vote in 2008. Construction began in 2017. The station, to be named Bellevue Downtown station, would be located to the east of the current transit center, along Northeast 6th Street between 110th and 112th avenues on the north side of the Bellevue City Hall . It would be at

10560-407: Was annexed in 1964. Lake Hills was annexed in 1969. By the 1970 census, Bellevue had become the fourth most populous city in the state of Washington, behind only Seattle, Spokane , and Tacoma . Bellevue remains one of the largest cities in the state, with several high-rise structures in its core and a burgeoning business community. The city experienced a building boom during the mid-2000s, with

10670-533: Was approved in 2016 and funded new extensions of Link that will open between 2024 and 2046, including projects in Pierce and Snohomish counties. Several deferred or truncated projects from ST2 were also funded and accelerated by the ST3 plan. Since 2016, the original timelines for both expansion packages have been modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic , labor shortages, and construction issues. Sound Transit adopted

10780-427: Was at one point headquartered in Bellevue but has since moved to the neighboring community of Redmond, Washington . Celebrated video game companies Valve , Bungie , Sucker Punch Productions , and The Pokémon Company International are also based here. In 2019, Amazon and Facebook announced plans to open large engineering centers in Bellevue with plans to add several thousand employees. In 2018, Google also opened

10890-552: Was delivered in November 2006 for the Central Link project and was followed by deliveries for the SeaTac/Airport and University Link extensions that concluded in 2011; each unit was valued at $ 4.2 million in 2014. Each car has 74 seats and a capacity of 194 passengers during normal loads, with a maximum " crush load " of 252 people; the layout is 70 percent low floor with raised sections at each end that are accessed via stairs. Railcars include four doors on each side,

11000-598: Was expanded with the opening of an infill station at Commerce Street/South 11th Street in 2011. An extension to the Hilltop neighborhood with 2.4 miles (3.9 km) of track and seven new stations opened on September 16, 2023. Trains on the line typically run every 12 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays and every 20 minutes on Sundays and holidays. The T Line has service from 4:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and reduced hours on other days, but operating hours are extended for major evening events at

11110-474: Was extended 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to SeaTac/Airport on December 19, 2009. In November 2006, the U.S. Federal Transit Administration approved Sound Transit's plan for University Link , a project to extend light rail 3.1 miles (5 km) north to the University of Washington after completion of an Environmental Impact Study . A grant was approved in November 2008, which allowed University Link to begin construction in December 2008. The line opened, including

11220-612: Was extended six months after opening to SeaTac/Airport station , a 1.7-mile (2.7 km) project that began construction in 2006 due to delays in planning. A northern extension to the University of Washington campus with two stations in a 3.15-mile (5.07 km) tunnel opened on March 19, 2016. A one-stop extension to Angle Lake station to the south opened in September of that year. An extension to Northgate , with two intermediate stations, opened on October 2, 2021. The first cross-county extension, through Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace to Lynnwood, opened on August 30, 2024, and brought

11330-445: Was forced to shorten the line from the original proposal, and growing enthusiasm for the proposed monorail brought rising opposition to the light rail from Seattle-area residents. On November 8, 2003, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Central Link light rail line. Central Link opened between Westlake Station and Tukwila on July 18, 2009, at a cost of $ 2.4 billion (equivalent to $ 3.31 billion in 2023 dollars). It

11440-433: Was later delayed to 2024 due to construction issues. The first section, from South Bellevue station to Redmond Technology station in Overlake, opened on April 27, 2024. The Bellevue City Council lobbied Sound Transit, the regional transit authority, to construct its light rail line underground through Bellevue's rapidly growing downtown. The city government promised to devote between $ 104 million and $ 150 million toward

11550-536: Was mostly rural farmland area with little development. Although it was small, developers were pushing to change that; in the 1920s, James S. Ditty predicted that it would become a city with a population of 200,000. He envisioned plans that included the bridging of Lake Washington and an area filled with golf courses and airports. His map with these visions was published in 1928. Once the Murrow Memorial Bridge opened, access from Seattle improved, and

11660-559: Was opened in 1985, at a cost of $ 5 million, consisting of 6 bus bays on Northeast 6th Street. It was preceded by a temporary transit hub near the Puget Power Building established in 1982. A new, $ 21 million transit center was built on the site in 2002, adding additional bus bays and modernizing the facility as part of the Sound Transit Express program. The following year, additional amenities were added to

11770-680: Was preceded by a shuttle bus from the new Tacoma Dome multimodal station built by Pierce Transit in 1997. The project was anticipated to revitalize the city's downtown and serve the new University of Washington Tacoma campus. The line's 1.6-mile (2.6 km) route—primarily on Commerce Street and Pacific Avenue—was approved in 1999 and construction officially began on October 18, 2000. Tacoma Link opened on August 22, 2003, with five stations, and cost $ 80.4 million (equivalent to $ 128 million in 2023 dollars) to construct. The line had no fares and exceeded its 2010 ridership projections by early 2003, carrying its 500,000th passenger in April of

11880-446: Was ranked as the second-best place to live by USA Today . More than 145 companies have been located in Bellevue; companies currently headquartered there include PACCAR Inc , T-Mobile US , and Valve . The technology company Amazon was founded in Bellevue by Jeff Bezos . The Duwamish , whose main settlements were located in present-day Renton and Seattle, maintained a small outpost settlement called Satskal ( SAH-tsah-kahl ) along

11990-407: Was ranked first among small U.S. cities with the highest percentage of physically active adults, with 86 percent reporting that they exercise. In 2006, Bellevue was rated one of the 25 safest cities in America, based on the per-capita incidence of violent crime. As of the 2020 census , there were 151,854 people, 60,953 households, and 39,419 families residing in the city. The population density

12100-407: Was trending unusually high. The wet season of 2017, defined as the period from October through April, saw a similar rainfall of 47.26 inches (1,200 mm). Bellevue is the main Eastside hub for both the local transit authority, King County Metro , and Sound Transit , the regional transit system. The Bellevue Transit Center , which serves both Metro and Sound buses, is located in the heart of

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