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August 29, 2025
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Sound Transit LINK light rail is coming your way.
And sooner than expected!
On Thursday, I joined fellow board members to announce the early opening of the Federal Way LINK extension.
This new service will provide fast, clean, safe, affordable and frequent LIGHT RAIL service connecting South King County with the current system which runs through Seattle.
It will allow someone to get on the train at three *NEW* stations in downtown Federal Way, Star Lake, and Kent Des Moines and easily get to any number of stations to the north. For example, from Kent/Des Moines station to SeaTac Airport station: 12 minutes!
This will connect South King County to employment centers, educational institutions, medical facilities and services, as well as arts and recreation opportunities.
We expect 116,000 average weekday riders on the entire LINK system in the first quarter of 2026 – an increase in one year of over 26,000 riders per weekday!
This new service will expand opportunities for jobs, education and training, health care and overall is expected to boost our economy in South King County. Properties with access to light rail in general increase in value.
When the entire system is built out, a rider getting on in South King County will be able to go north to Everett, south to Tacoma, east to Redmond and Issaquah, and points in between.
This early opening was announced by Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine and Sound Transit Board members Pete von Reichbauer, Claudia Balducci, and Mayor of Auburn Nancy Backus, along with Mayors Traci Buxton (Des Moines), Dana Ralph (Kent), and Jim Ferrell (Federal Way) at the Kent-Des Moines Station on Thursday, August 28.
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Click above to see CM Quinn's Speech
The opening of this service is part of the commitment regional leadership has to voters who approved the Sound Transit III proposal in 2016: access to efficient, effective light rail service in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
I am so pleased that South King County will have early access to the system. The Sound Transit III plan calls for a system is big, complex and takes the skill, time and talent of hundreds of workers – working together - to create. Big thanks to our engineers, designers, planners, community outreach specialists, administrators, programmers, construction managers, and contractors.
We also must thank our federal representatives including US Senator Patty Murray as well as the Federal Transit Administration. Our federal partners have been critical in securing over $1.4 billion in federal funding for this system that supports the local funding that was approved by voters.
I look forward to getting on this light rail and the Kent Des Moines station with you on December 6. See you there!
The goal of the D5 e-news* is to share information about council business, upcoming community events, access to services, opportunities, and ways for us to build an even better King County.
*To translate this week’s e-news into another language, scroll down and click on the language of your choice. Whether you would like to read this e-news more easily or whether you are studying a new language, we are bringing you language technology to help us stay connected.
On Monday, my staff and I worked out of the District Office in Kent. I met with CM Balducci regarding the proposed RapidRide I-line.
I also met with Deirdre McCormack Martin regarding services provided by Family Law CASA. Deirdre shared that they served 176 children in the County impacting over 300 households 60% of which are BIPOC, as well as the importance of giving a child a voice through the critical services provided to families in our region.
My staff and I reviewed proposed amendments to the King County Strategic Climate Action Plan and then I met with central staff analysts.
Finally, I met with the King County auditor regarding audit findings in a review of the King County Department of Community Services. I was particularly interested in the recommendations the auditor was making to improve accountability.
On Tuesday, I participated in the Committee of the Whole – a committee which includes all nine councilmembers. We were briefed by the auditor about recommendations for improving oversight and accountability of the Department of Community Services. We were also given an update about federal funding by Budget Director Dwight Dively.
In addition, both 4Culture and the King County Library system provided briefings. To view that meeting, please click here.
Over the noon hour, I met with the King County Sheriff’s office regarding services in South King County.
Click the photo above to hear CM Quinn's comments
In the afternoon, the Council reviewed and voted on amendments to legislation regarding school impact fees. School impact fees are assessed as part of permitting in order to ensure housing development is helping to pay for the construction of schools to serve families.
Councilmembers expressed concern that they wanted to both fund schools and ensure that affordable housing is constructed. I proposed an amendment to provide regional analysis of how school impact fees affect affordable housing and to make that analysis part of all future negotiations of school impact fees.
The Council also reviewed a labor-management proposal regarding health care coverage for King County employees.
On Wednesday, I met with Councilmember Balducci regarding the Strategic Climate Action Plan.
Click the photo above to hear CM Quinn's comments
I also joined the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee which voted on the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) program which funds services for those with mental illness and/or drug addictions.
I also met with Sound Transit staff regarding the upcoming Board meeting.
On Thursday, I joined Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine and fellow board members to announce the early opening of the Federal Way LINK light rail extension to serve South King County.
I also participated in the Sound Transit Board meeting where we discussed making improvements to our Sounder cars and addressing affordability challenges in the agency.
On Friday I met with council staff regarding my striking amendment to the proposed Strategic Climate Action Plan which will be considered at the special TrEE meeting on Monday September 8. I also met with Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine. My staff prepared for the week ahead.
Next week, you are invited to join me and my colleagues:
Tuesday, September 2: The Council meeting welcomes public comment – virtually or in person. We will be taking a final votes on legislation. You can find that agenda and those materials here.
Wednesday, September 3: The Regional Water Quality Committee will be discussing long-term rate planning. This is about your sewer rate. You can find that agenda here.
Thursday, September 4: The Sound Transit Board’s Ridership Experience and Operations Committee (REO) will meet on Thursday September 4. To watch those meetings, go here. For materials for those meetings, look here. You are also welcome to sign up to give comment.
You are welcome to review the agendas and materials for the King County Council meetings that are used by the councilmembers and sign up to speak to items on the agenda.
You are also welcome to write emails, letters or request appointments with your representatives to share your thoughts about the items on these agendas. You can find a list of committee members here.
To watch the Sound Transit meetings, go here.
I hope this information is helpful to you. I am committed to keeping you informed about what King County government is doing on behalf of District 5, including the cities of Des Moines, Normandy Park, Kent, Renton, SeaTac and Tukwila. I want to make sure we stay connected as a community.
King County Councilmember, District 5
Des Moines, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila
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Kids can use Metro for FREE to get to school and activities
Binder, paper, pens and pencils, calculator, backpack, ORCA Card!
The pass is good 24/7/365.
This will be the fourth school year that youth 18 years of age and younger will be able to use it to board transit for free.
The card is the stress-free way for getting to after school activities, picking up siblings, getting to work, or heading to a movie or concert on Metro and other transit agencies throughout the region.
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When your kids get vaccinated it protects them and other kids too!
Beat the crowd: make a back-to-school vaccination appointment now
Pediatricians are never more popular than during back-to-school season, and snagging an appointment can get tricky later in the summer. If your child’s due for vaccinations, save yourself some frustration and take a few minutes now to make an appointment.
Don’t have a healthcare provider? Not to worry. Use this map to find one. And if you need help enrolling in health insurance or finding a doctor, the Community Health Access Program’s got you covered. Call 800-756-5437 or email chap@kingcounty.gov.
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Riding Metro is Still a Great Deal!
Metro fares are increasing to $3 for its buses, Metro Flex, and Seattle Streetcar starting Sept. 1, 2025.
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Metro is collecting comments from community now
Take Metro’s online survey!
King County Metro is preparing to build 17-miles of new RapidRide service in Kent, Renton, and Auburn. Construction will begin in Fall 2025.
Once the RapidRide I Line is in service in 2027 it will provide connections to the Renton Transit Center, Kent Transit Center and Auburn Station.
The I Line will also connect riders to the RapidRide F Line, Sound Transit buses; Sounder Train; and local bus service, making it easier for people to travel to and from regional destinations and access a network of local bus routes.
Visit the I-line website to check out our interactive map and learn about the passenger stations, and other improvements this project will bring.
Monday September 1 is Labor Day
(Source: History.com) Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September.
Labor Day was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day weekend also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans and is celebrated with parties, street parades and athletic events.
Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day?
Labor Day, an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters.
In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 toiled in mills, factories and mines across the country, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages.
People of all ages, particularly the very poor and recent immigrants, often faced extremely unsafe working conditions, with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities and breaks.
As manufacturing increasingly supplanted agriculture as the wellspring of American employment, labor unions, which had first appeared in the late 18th century, grew more prominent and vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest poor conditions and compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay.
In the wake of this massive unrest and in an attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed it into law.
Celebrates all that is fresh, delicious, local, and sustainable in King County
Kent Farmers’ Market is held every Saturday June 14 – September 13
Every Saturday 10 am – 2 pm June – September
Family Day is coming Saturday August 30th 😊
Young Entrepreneurs are invited to apply to sell at the Market that day.
Sundays: August 31, September 7 * 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tukwila Community Center * 12424 42nd Avenue South
Soft cuddly kittens at the King County Pet Adoption Center
Clockwise from top left: Wool, Silk, Satin and Linen are 14-week old kittens – domestic shorthair. Wool is male and Silk, Satin and Linen are female. All are at the King County Pet Adoption Center awaiting a good home.
The Pet Adoption Center will work to find a great match for every customer by providing information about each animal and ultimately allowing each adopter to make the final decision about what is right for their family.
The Pet Adoption Center is open Monday thru Friday: Noon - 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m. Adoptions end one hour before closing.
King County Council District 5 – a great place to ride Sound Transit LINK Light Rail!
 Thank you for reading the 30th edition of our e-news. Please feel free to contact us and share information you have about your city or neighborhood at desean.quinn@kingcounty.gov or 206 477-1005.
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De'Sean Quinn (he/him/his)
King County Councilmember, District 5
(206) 477-1005 Send me an email
www.kingcounty.gov/quinn
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