Sound Transit Renton HOV Access Project
Currently in the City of Renton, buses and other High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) share heavily used and often congested freeway ramps and local streets with all other vehicles. To provide buses and carpools a competitive travel advantage over driving alone, Sound Transit is investing in a complement of capital projects to give HOVs direct access to, or travel priority at, key locations into and out of downtown Renton.
Sound Transit's investments to improve HOV interchange access in Renton is being coordinated with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) I 405 Corridor Project.
- In north Renton, an HOV-only interchange is proposed at I 405 and N. 8th St, connecting only to the west of I 405. These will be "direct access" ramps providing a direct connection to/from the HOV lanes on I 405.
- In south Renton, the proposed changes to the I 405/SR 167 interchange will shift general purpose access to new ramps at Talbot Road and Lind Avenue.
- The Rainier Avenue South corridor will incorporate business access transit (BAT) lanes between South 2nd Street and SW Grady Way. Additionally, Rainier Avenue South will have improved sidewalks, transit stops, and a eastbound transit queue jump at South 3rd Street.
Funding for the Renton HOV investments was established by Puget Sound voters in 1996 when they approved local taxes for Sound Move, the Ten-Year Regional Transit System Plan. Sound Transit is the agency charged with implementing the three-county bus and rail transit plan, including bus service and capital projects to improve regional travel in and around Renton.
Funding for some I 405 improvements was provided by the Washington State Legislature fuel tax increases in 2003 and 2005.
For more information, please contact Sound Transit Community Relations at 206-398-5048 or Keith Woolley with City of Renton Transportation Systems Division Planning and Programming Section at 425-430-7318.