Five reports that tie together transportation and land use in Mountlake Terrace have been finalized and posted online. The reports—all funded by a grant from the state Department of Commerce—are meant to help guide city and transit agency decisions to ensure that walking, bicycling and transit are convenient choices.

Location of future light rail stations in the city is the focus of one report. It recommends a light rail station to be near Interstate 5 and 236th Street Southwest and as as close as possible to the town center and freeway/tourist zone, with a possible second station someday near I-5 and 220th.

Another report focuses on connecting walkways and bicycle routes to the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center. One way of doing this is through new walking and biking facilities along Lakeview Drive, a project the city is currently designing. A third report, called “Multimodal Concurrency,” discusses standards for different types of transportation services.

The fourth report is about transit-oriented development, the idea that attractive places to live and work can be located in easy walking distance to bus or light rail stations.

The final report (“Transportation Demand Management”) is about techniques for reducing traffic congestion. Mountlake Terrace’s street system is well suited for avoiding some of the traffic problems that other cities have but will need to continue efforts, such as encouraging carpools and transit as options for commuters, according to the report.

Studying these issues has included opportunities for public input, along with direction from the City Council and Planning Commission.

For more information, call Community and Economic Development at 425-744-6266.