Sound Transit Board Passes Revised ST3 Plan to Keep Light Rail Expansion Alive
The board kept the Sodo-to-Seattle Center tunnel in its affordable plan and approved $300 million for Ballard design work.
- On Thursday, the Sound Transit Board approved a revised light rail expansion plan, voting 14-4 to cut the majority of the link from Chinatown/International District to Ballard and terminate the line at Seattle Center.
- Facing a $34.5 billion deficit due to inflation and rising construction costs, the agency prioritized the Sodo-to-Seattle Center segment, marking the fourth realignment since voters passed ST3.
- The board voted to defer planned stops at Smith Cove and InterBay, while allocating $300 million for design work on the full line, which remains four miles short of Ballard.
- Seattle City Councilman Dan Strauss cast one of two dissenting votes, then secured a 13-5 board decision requiring staff to return by Aug. 1 with a timeline to reach Ballard.
- To address the funding gap, the board voted to examine future revenue packages, while projects like the South Kirkland-to-Issaquah line barely remain affordable with construction timelines stretching to 2050.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Slog AM: Ballard Light Rail Is Dead for Now, Markwayne Mullin Keeps Threatening to Ban International Flights to Sanctuary Cities, Trump Still Pushing Trump Bucks
RIP Ballard Light Rail: For now, at least. Yesterday, the Sound Transit board voted down Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss’s hail mary amendment to build the Ballard light rail extension. Facing a $35 billion budget gap, the agency will keep the Ballard line on ice while it goes ahead and builds a new line that stops at Seattle Center before making its way to Strauss’ stomping grounds. And he’s probably stomping right now. Sound Transit vot…
New light rail plans keep West Seattle on track, add Graham Street Station to the mix, and will build the massively expensive tunnel needed to reach Ballard — but not reach Ballard
(Image: Office of Planning & Community Development) You are going to have to likely wait a lot longer than 2039 to take light rail to Ballard — but you will have a new destination in the Rainier Valley at Graham Street Station. Thursday, the 18-member Sound Transit board agreed on a package of deferrals and cuts to address a projected $34.5 billion shortfall. The body that includes ten members representing King County, seven representing Pierce …
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