Sound Transit Board Adopts Updated ST3 System Plan

Building Graham Street Station and light rail to West Seattle and Seattle Center, while charting a course to Ballard

Mayor Wilson with community organizers after announcing plans to build Graham Street Station

On May 28, the Sound Transit Board voted to adopt an updated ST3 System Plan that addresses a $34.5 billion long-term funding gap. The plan includes projects throughout the region (see the map below), but here are the key decisions for Seattle. The Board voted to:

• Build the West Seattle Link Extension from SODO to Alaska Junction without the Avalon Station and along a modified route that saves money and reduces the impact on homes and businesses.

• Build Graham Street Station as outlined in Amendment 8, which was introduced by Mayor Wilson, Executive Zahilay, and King County Councilmember Mosqueda in solidarity with community organizers who have fought for Graham Street Station for more than a decade.

• Build the first part of the Ballard Link Extension from the Chinatown-International District to Seattle Center.

• Fully design the second part of the Ballard Link Extension from Seattle Center to Ballard and seek additional funds and/or further cost-savings to build the line.

Charting a course to Ballard

Public support for building light rail to Ballard was loud and clear. Community members sent emails, filled out surveys, organized rallies, and spoke out at Sound Transit Board meetings and town halls.

Save Ballard Rail marchers point to the high cost of gas (Photo by the Urbanist’s Doug Trumm who covered the event that drew hundreds of people)

“The only reason the Ballard Link is not dead is because of your advocacy,” said Seattle Councilmember Strauss after the Board meeting. “There’s no question this is a major setback. But this is not the end of the line for Ballard Light Rail. Today, we have more support from Sound Transit Board Members for Ballard than we did when this was initially proposed. The work we did together scored some critical improvements to the plan that will help us win this fight.”

Councilmember Strauss, along with Mayor Wilson, Executive Zahilay, and King County Councilmembers Mosqueda and Balducci successfully added amendments to the updated ST3 System Plan that provide a path for future funding, cost-savings, and innovative approaches that will help get light rail to Ballard.

“I’m pleased the Board adopted my amendment requiring us to consider additional options so we can find a better way forward,” said Mayor Wilson after the Board meeting. “I’m committed to keep doing the work to deliver what voters are demanding and build the damn trains all the way to Market Street so we can finish what we are starting here today.” 

But WHEN will light rail get to Ballard?

Sound Transit is committed to moving the Ballard project forward, though they have not provided a date – for now. Councilmember Strauss successfully added Amendment 12 that requires Sound Transit to “provide the public with a fixed date, or date range” for service to Smith Cove, Interbay, and Ballard.

“When we started this conversation, Sound Transit proposed indefinitely postponing Ballard light rail with no timeline for when it would be completed,” said Councilmember Strauss. “I fought for and won an amendment that will require them to release a date range for when light rail will reach Ballard under the current plan ... Releasing that date range is critical for transparency and to start working on moving that date sooner.”

Updated light rail expansion map

Below is a map of the future light rail system as defined in Sound Transit’s updated ST3 System Plan. In addition to the Seattle lines, the system will include expanded light rail from Everett to Tacoma and from Kirkland to Issaquah.

Questions or Thoughts?

Please feel free to contact our Sound Transit Program Team at the City of Seattle: (206) 684-7623 or lightrail@seattle.gov.