As a project stakeholder, you’ve heard a lot about the Sound Transit Board’s ongoing work to advance our voter-approved projects in a challenging fiscal environment.
In early 2020, the Board launched a process called realignment to review options for addressing the significant affordability gap affecting our future transit expansion projects not yet under construction. Most recently forecasted at $6.5 billion, this gap means that completing many of these projects on their original schedules won’t be affordable.
On Thursday, Aug. 5, the Board adopted a new flexible framework to support moving forward with projects as rapidly as possible. Learn more about the Board’s action in our Platform blog post.
Updated Everett Link Extension project timeline
The Board’s adopted plan identifies 2037 as the timeframe we can afford to open service to SW Everett Industrial Center and 2041 as the timeframe we can afford to open service to Everett Station, based on current revenue projections and cost estimates.
However, the Board also identified a more ambitious target of achieving a 2037 service opening to Everett Station through intensive efforts to secure expanded funding and reduce project costs. This target schedule, which is one year later than the original schedule for reaching Everett Station, requires an estimated $600 million (2019$) in additional funding and/or savings, and intensified commitments of support from partners at the local, state and national levels.
In order to prioritize reaching Everett as rapidly as possible, the realignment plan pushes back investments in parking to the 2046 timeframe, with intent to emphasize other options for people to access the system, including connections to and from local bus routes.
The Everett Link Extension project also includes the Operations and Maintenance Facility North, a critical facility for systemwide service that will store, maintain and repair trains for the expanding light rail system. The Board’s adopted plan identifies 2034 as the timeframe we can afford to open the OMF North, based on current revenue projections and cost estimates.
We’ll track fiscal challenges very closely as we work with partner jurisdictions and stakeholders to advance this project. The project’s ultimate timeline will come into greater focus as we advance the environmental review process and project design including examining cost-saving options.
Real estate, construction costs continue to surge
Due to steeply rising real estate prices and other construction expenses, projects currently in early planning and design are seeing significant cost estimate increases.
As design work advances, we’ll continually refine cost estimates for this and other projects in planning, drawing on recommendations from the independent reviewer. Sound Transit’s finance department, with the guidance of outside economists, will regularly update revenue and inflation projections, with hopes that recent improvements to economic and revenue forecasts continue.
Learn more about the realignment process and increased construction cost estimates at soundtransit.org/realignment.
Next steps
Upcoming work to advance the EVLE project will include:
- Continuing Phase 1 alternatives development.
- Forming an Elected Leadership Group and Community Advisory Group and continuing the existing Interagency Group.
- Public engagement during early scoping period (scheduled late 2021).
- Sound Transit Board identifies a preferred alternative and other alternatives for study in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (scheduled late 2022).
We hope you’ll continue to participate in our work to move this important project forward.
Questions? Please feel free to reach out to Erik Ashlie-Vinke at erik.ashlie-vinke@soundtransit.org or (206) 553-3865.
Thank you,
Sandra Fann
Acting North Corridor Development Director
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