Although the Sound Transit governing board has tentatively chosen a light-rail route through Bellevue that would go up 112th Avenue Northeast, a majority of the Bellevue City Council still hasn't given up on its own preferred route, which would put light rail along Interstate 405 instead.

On Monday, the council voted to hire consultants to examine four issues relating to light-rail routing, for a total cost of about $200,000, said Bellevue regional projects manager Bernard van de Kamp.

Specifically, the council wants:

• A review of Sound Transit's noise evaluation. The Surrey Downs neighborhood has been especially concerned about the noise created by light rail, particularly where the agency's preferred alternative -- called B2M -- would make a sharp west turn west to go into downtown Bellevue, near the neighborhood's northeastern corner.
• A review of Sound Transit's analysis of Bellevue's preferred route along I-405, also known as the B7 route.
• An environmental review of the Mercer Slough wetlands, with a close look at which route crosses the most sensitive area of the slough.
• A study to see if the South Bellevue Park and Ride lot could be moved to the south, closer to Interstate 90, so that it could link up with the B7 route.

Van de Kamp said the studies were all expected to be finished by the end of June or first part of July.