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Issaquah staff outline station‑area planning study and two‑year engagement plan; propose RFP in spring
Summary
Planning staff proposed a Station Area Planning Report, an engagement plan and a timeline that includes issuing an RFP in February–March 2025, onboarding a consultant in April–May, and aiming for a locally preferred alternative by late 2026 ahead of Sound Transit’s 2027 study approach.
City planning staff presented a proposed Station Area Planning Study and engagement plan for the Central Issaquah station area at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Jan. 13, 2025. Thomas Valdres, the senior transportation planner, outlined a roughly two‑year timeline that would feed a locally preferred alternative (LPA) into regional discussions with Sound Transit.
Valdres said the study’s principal deliverable is a Station Area Planning Report that documents existing conditions, projects future land uses, develops measurable evaluation criteria tied to the previously discussed guiding principles, and examines four initial conceptual station locations and their track alignment options (with the possibility of adding two additional alternatives). The timeline presented calls for a request for proposals to go out in February or March 2025, a consultant to begin work in April or May, alternatives development and public vetting through 2025, refinement in early 2026, and a goal to adopt a locally preferred alternative in late 2026.
The engagement plan is multi‑pronged: a project website, pop‑up events, at least two open houses over the course of the study, targeted outreach to boards and commissions, and repeated Committee of the Whole touch points. Staff said they plan to invite Sound Transit and other regional partners (WSDOT, King County Metro, Puget Sound Regional Council) into the process for technical coordination. Valdres said the city expects Sound Transit to independently add the city’s LPA into its 2027 review rather than directly ceding siting decisions to the agency.
Council members asked whether station siting and track alignment would be addressed together; Valdres confirmed they will be evaluated together. Council Member Hall asked whether the city’s broader community survey could include light‑rail questions; staff said it was premature to add broad survey items now but that targeted surveys could be appropriate later in the process. Mayor or council engagement points include review of evaluation criteria in Q4 2025 and alignment alternatives in Q1 2026.
Valdres also noted that the council provided $200,000 in the city budget to support the study. He emphasized the study’s role in strengthening the city’s ability to advocate with Sound Transit and in informing potential future amendments to the city’s mobility master plan and comprehensive plan.
Next steps staff identified include issuing an RFP in February–March 2025, hiring a consultant to help develop evaluation criteria and public engagement, running a robust community outreach program, and returning to the committee and full council at established milestones for review and direction.
