Editing Bellevue, Washington (section)

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
[[File:Bellevue, Washington (3599746474).jpg|thumb|I-405 as seen from the air]]

Bellevue lies on [[Interstate 405 (Washington)|Interstate 405]], the main [[bypass (road)|bypass]] route for north–south traffic east of Seattle, between its junctions with east–west freeways [[Interstate 90 in Washington|Interstate 90]] and [[Washington State Route 520|State Route 520]]. The freeways are connected to Seattle via [[pontoon bridge|floating bridge]]s over Lake Washington.<ref name="Times-405History">{{cite news |last=Whitely |first=Peyton |date=January 3, 2003 |title=Eastside history: I-405 radically altered life east of the lake |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20030103/fourohfive03e/eastside-history-i-405-radically-altered-life-east-of-the-lake |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 10, 2025}}</ref> Downtown Bellevue has [[stroad|wide streets]] with few mid-block connections and an incomplete sidewalk network; it has been labeled as "pedestrian unfriendly" and hostile to cycling.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baruchman |first1=Michelle |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=December 23, 2019 |title=Bellevue was built for cars. Now, as it prepares for thousands of new workers, the city is reinventing itself. |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/as-amazon-and-others-companies-expand-in-bellevue-the-city-preps-for-thousands-more-commuters/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bach |first=Ashley |date=April 9, 2007 |title=A new Bellevue: Step by step to a pedestrian-friendly downtown |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/a-new-bellevue-step-by-step-to-a-pedestrian-friendly-downtown/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 10, 2025}}</ref> The city government adopted plans to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections in 2009 and built the first downtown [[bicycle lane]] (including some protected sections) in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baruchman |first=Michelle |date=August 1, 2018 |title=Bellevue builds its first downtown bike lane. But there's a catch |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/bellevue-builds-its-first-downtown-bike-lane-but-theres-a-catch/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Baruchman |first=Michelle |date=May 23, 2019 |title='This works': Downtown Bellevue bike lanes will stay put, more lanes planned |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/this-works-downtown-bellevue-bike-lanes-will-stay-put-more-bike-lanes-planned/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 10, 2025}}</ref> The city had 42,000 on-street [[parking space]]s in a 2013 inventory; plans to introduce fees for on-street parking spaces in some neighborhoods were announced in 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last=Deshais |first=Nicholas |date=February 10, 2025 |title=Free parking in Bellevue may be ending |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/free-parking-in-bellevue-may-be-ending/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 10, 2025}}</ref>

Bellevue is the main [[Eastside (King County, Washington)|Eastside]] hub for both the local transit authority, [[King County Metro]], and [[Sound Transit]], the regional transit system. The [[Bellevue Transit Center]], which serves both Metro and Sound buses, is located in the heart of the downtown business district and is connected to Interstate 405 by NE 6th St. and a direct-access [[Texas T]] HOV ramp. Local buses run into [[Kirkland, Washington|Kirkland]], [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]], [[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]], [[Renton, Washington|Renton]], and the [[University District, Seattle|University District]];<ref>{{cite web | url = http://transit.metrokc.gov/up/sc/rideralert/ra-022008-bellevuetc.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916104016/http://transit.metrokc.gov/up/sc/rideralert/ra-022008-bellevuetc.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 16, 2008 | title = Revised Boarding Locations at Bellevue Transit Center | date = September 16, 2008 | access-date = January 26, 2017}}</ref> regional buses go to [[Bothell, Washington|Bothell]], [[Lynnwood, Washington|Lynnwood]], [[Everett, Washington|Everett]], [[Seattle]], [[Renton, Washington|Renton]], [[Kent, Washington|Kent]] and [[Auburn, Washington|Auburn]], among other cities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bellevue Transit Center|url=http://www.soundtransit.org/x1272.xml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708203158/http://www.soundtransit.org/x1272.xml|archive-date=July 8, 2008|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=Sound Transit}}</ref> An electric [[microtransit]] shuttle service operated by [[Circuit, Inc.]] began operating in August 2023; the app-based service is funded by the city's hotel room tax and fare-free for passengers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cornwell |first=Paige |date=September 5, 2023 |title=How BellHop, Bellevue's all-electric shuttle service, is doing a month in |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/how-bellhop-bellevues-all-electric-shuttle-service-is-doing-a-month-in/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=March 4, 2024}}</ref>

The [[2 Line (Sound Transit)|2 Line]] of Sound Transit's [[Link light rail]] system is planned to run from Seattle through Mercer Island and Bellevue before ending in Redmond. The $3.7&nbsp;billion project was approved by voters in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure.<ref name="Times-2Line">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=February 15, 2024 |title=Sound Transit sets a date for Bellevue-Redmond trains |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-sets-a-date-for-bellevue-redmond-trains/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=March 4, 2024}}</ref> It began construction in 2016 and was scheduled to begin service in 2023, but was later delayed to 2024 due to construction issues.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=January 13, 2023 |title=Lynnwood or Bellevue: Which city should get light-rail service first? |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/lynnwood-or-bellevue-which-city-should-get-light-rail-service-first/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=August 2, 2023}}</ref> The first section, from [[South Bellevue station]] to [[Redmond Technology station]] in Overlake, opened on April 27, 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Kroman |first2=David |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Eastside light rail line opens as huge crowds try out the ride |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/eastside-light-rail-line-opens-as-huge-crowds-try-out-the-ride/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=April 27, 2024}}</ref>

The Bellevue City Council lobbied Sound Transit, the regional transit authority, to construct its light rail line underground through Bellevue's rapidly growing downtown.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Hicks | first = Joshua Adam | date = March 23, 2010 | url = http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/bel/news/88915807.html | title = Bellevue City Council unanimous on new downtown light-rail tunnel | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100328140259/http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/bel/news/88915807.html | archive-date = March 28, 2010 | newspaper = Bellevue Reporter | access-date = June 8, 2011}}</ref> The city government promised to devote between $104 million and $150 million toward a potential tunnel in the form of cash, services, free access to rights-of-way and one-time tax revenues that result from the East Link project. In November 2011, the city council signed an agreement with Sound Transit.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bellevuewa.gov/light-rail.htm | title = East Link in Bellevue – Light Rail and Bellevue (Official City of Bellevue Website) | access-date = January 26, 2017|url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170201065806/http://bellevuewa.gov/light-rail.htm | archive-date = February 1, 2017}}</ref> Tunnel construction started in early 2016 while the remainder of downtown Bellevue construction began in mid-2017.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/East-Link-Extension/Project-updates | title = Project updates: East Link Extension | last = drupal.nichole | date = July 8, 2015 | access-date = January 26, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170820162933/https://www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/East-Link-Extension/Project-updates | archive-date = August 20, 2017 | url-status = usurped}}</ref>

Bellevue was also served by a [[railroad]], a [[Burlington Northern]] branch line known as the [[Woodinville Subdivision]], which included the historic [[Wilburton Trestle]]. The line is now disused, though part of the track bed at Wilburton Station will be reused by Sound Transit's light-rail construction.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.soundtransit.org/node/7132 | title = Wilburton Station | date = January 8, 2015 | access-date = January 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814020303/http://www.soundtransit.org/node/7132|archive-date=August 14, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Construction of [[Eastrail]], a [[rail trail]] on the abandoned Woodinville Subdivision [[Right-of-way (transportation)|right of way]] through Bellevue, is planned to be completed in 2023. Some sections of the railroad in Bellevue were demolished in 2008 to make way for the expansion of I-405 and will require the construction of additional structures to supplement the existing right of way.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eastrail |url=https://kingcounty.gov/services/parks-recreation/parks/trails/regional-trails/popular-trails/eastrail.aspx |publisher=King County Parks and Recreation |access-date=April 2, 2021}}</ref>

The city once had an operating airfield named [[Bellevue Airfield]], which shut down in 1983.