Seattle officials push back on possible light rail cuts
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Sound Transit light rail trains in Seattle in 2020. Photo: Karen Ducey/Getty Images
Sound Transit presented three ideas to scale back light rail projects last week, prompting pushback from local officials who want to see trains reach Ballard, West Seattle and Tacoma.
The big picture: Sound Transit is facing a $35 billion shortfall to complete transit projects that local voters approved in 2016, prompting the agency to suggest cost-saving measures.
State of play: None of the proposals floated at last week's Sound Transit board retreat would complete the planned light rail extension to Seattle's Ballard neighborhood.
- One of the options would also cut out Tacoma, ending the new light rail line in Fife, a few miles north.
- Two of the concepts would affect the planned West Seattle extension — either by shortening the line or eliminating it entirely.
- Other possible cuts could include stations in South Seattle and Tukwila and a planned line between Kirkland and Issaquah.
What they're saying: The options drew swift rebuke from Seattle city officials.
- "Sound Transit needs to sharpen their pencils, do the analysis and bring us a plan that gets to Ballard to keep the promise made to voters," said City Councilmember Dan Strauss, who represents Ballard.
- A planned station at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and South Graham Street in Seattle was left out of previous light rail initiatives and shouldn't be delayed further, City Councilmember Dionne Foster said.
- "If we keep deferring the same communities over and over, we shouldn't be surprised when people stop believing us," Foster said.
Yes, but: The ideas presented last week are not final plans and are likely to change based on feedback from the board and the public.
- The scenarios were "intended to serve as the basis for conversation," King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda said.
What's next: The Sound Transit board is expected to decide later this year which cost-cutting options to pursue.