Light rail tunnels have support of elected officials, but where will the money come from?

SEATTLE — In 2016, voters approved light rail to Ballard and West Seattle.

Now comes the question of exactly where to build the tracks.

"Is this being done for the people or to the people?" asked Lisa Coon when addressing a group of elected leaders Friday.

She is among the critics of running elevated tracks to the West Seattle Junction.

Members of Sound Transit's Elected Leadership Group spoke in favor of tunnels in West Seattle and beneath the ship canal to Ballard.

"Everything I hear from the community is, 'it's got to be a tunnel,'" said city councilmember Sally Bagshaw.

They would cost extra, with a rough estimate of $2 billion more.

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Port of Seattle commissioner Stephanie Bowman tried to bring up where the money would come from, calling it the "elephant in the room."

"For some reason, we've been avoiding this conversation," Bowman said.

Mayor Jenny Durkan suggested there might be federal, state, port or tribal money to help fill the gap.

"I think it's premature to say here's where the money's coming from until we know what the money is," Durkan said.

An environmental review will help nail down those costs.

Next month, Sound Transit's board will decide which options for tracks and stations will get an environmental review.

One idea is to study a plan that needs extra money and one that does not.

Light rail to Ballard is expected in 2035.

The West Seattle extension is supposed to open in 2030, but adding tunnels to the line could push that back.

Cox Media Group

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