Issaquah Environmental Council - About the SE Bypass
The City of Issaquah has proposed a new road, the SE Issaquah Bypass, to connect the new Sunset Interchange with Issaquah Hobart Rd at the south end of town. The assumption behind this new road is that it will alleviate traffic congestion caused by increased traffic.
Downtown Issaquah is located at the base of the narrow valley between Squak Mountain State Park and the Tiger Mountain State Forest and Conservation Area. Significant growth in southeast King County has produced a large population of drivers wishing to get to or from I-90 from southeast of town. There is only one 2-lane road in and out of Issaquah to the southeast.
The increased number of drivers has filled this existing road and downtown Issaquah streets to capacity during peak hours, and more congestion is expected to occur in the future. Most of this congestion occurs because of I-90 access difficulties when driving northbound. When driving southbound, cars back up because of a funnel effect at a variety of choke points beginning at Sunset Way. The congestion is especially noticeable where Front Street becomes rural Issaquah-Hobart Road with only one lane each direction.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the SE Bypass as a 4-lane road has been in process since 1996 costing taxpayers nearly $4,000,000. The actual road alignment keeps shifting as each alignment has significant negative issues.
Here is further information and a map to help you understand this complex project. All are in ADOBE Reader format.
Further Information:
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Process since 1996 by Public Works Engineering Bypass Project Staff, September 2004
SE Issaquah Alliance Analysis, September, 2004
Concurrence Point #3 Document - Concurrence Point #3 is actually the third step in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 404 merger process for the agencies where they decide whether the chosen alignment is the least environmentally impactive. Yes, this is about the SE Bypass. This particular document is a frightening pack of misinformation, some lies and lots of confusion.
Subject: SE Bypass Concurrence Point #3 Agency Responses
Here are links to the individual agency comments:
Environmental Protection Agency
National Marine Fisheries Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
After 2nd Level negotiations, 4 of the agencies agreed to approve Concurrence Point #3. After 3rd Level negotiation the remaining 2 agencies also agreed. At this point we still do not know what the Administration promised in order to get the approvals.
Council Votes:
On June 20, 2005, the City Council voted to direct the Administration to prepare an Agenda Bill to cover all actions required to terminate the EIS for the SE Bypass. However, when the AB was brought back to the Council on July 18, 2005, Joe Forkner changed his vote and the council voted to continue the study.
Call for information: 425-557-5502
