How Could the East-Side Ash Way Station Affect Our Church?

Sound Transit is considering ASH-D, an east-side location for the future Ash Way light rail station near our church. Current concepts could also change traffic and bus circulation around 164th Street SW and 14th Avenue W and affect portions of church property.

For Mill Creek Foursquare, this is more than where a light rail station is located. We want to understand how the proposed plans could affect our ability to grow, worship, serve our community, and safely use our property for generations to come.

 

Our concerns include:

  • Loss of parking and church property. The church currently has more than 250 paved parking spaces and approximately one acre of gravel property available for future growth needs. Sound Transit has presented concepts that could affect a significant portion of our parking/property.

  • Access and traffic. Changes around 164th and 14th could make entering and leaving the church more difficult, particularly during busy traffic periods and large church events.

  • Safety and security. We want to understand how a major transit station, buses, pedestrians and increased activity next to the church could affect the safety and security of our members, children, staff and community programs.

  • Our ability to serve the community. Parking and convenient access are important to worship services, our food bank, youth and family ministries, school and community partnerships, funerals, weddings and other activities.

  • Future growth. The property we have today provides room for the church and its ministries to grow in the future.

  • Meadow Road and the future I-5 overcrossing. Snohomish County's adopted transportation planning identifies a future Ash Way-area I-5 overcrossing connecting toward Meadow Road. We want Sound Transit and the County to clearly explain how that future transportation system was considered before church property is used for ASH-D bus access and circulation.  We would like Sound Transit to specifically address the following in detail before a decision is made regarding which site is selected. 

    • Bus routes and travel times

    • Traffic congestion and intersection delays

    • Vehicle access to and from the station

    • Parking for future light rail users

    • Access to neighborhoods, businesses and community facilities

    • Property acquisition and displacement

    • Impacts at 164th Street, Motor Place and surrounding intersections

    • Construction and infrastructure costs

    • Pedestrian and bicycle access and safety

Before a final Ash Way station location is selected, we ask Sound Transit to provide the public with this side-by-side comparison so residents and future transit users can understand the impacts and differences between ASH-A and ASH-D.