EVERETT, Wash. — A lengthy report published by Sound Transit provides a clearer picture of the upcoming light rail extension to Everett than ever before. The report reveals the path the rail will take, the location of stations and how many people will have to move.
The plan is to connect downtown Everett to the existing station in downtown Lynnwood via more than 16 miles of rail. Those who live and work in the rail’s path will have to move before it is completed in 2041.
It has been a long wait for the regional light rail system to become truly regional.
According to Sound Transit, the line to Everett is its biggest extension yet.
“Completing the spine project is something that’s been laid out as a critical priority by the board and is something we have been working on every day,” Henry Bendon, a public information officer with Sound Transit, said. “Traffic on I5 is not getting any better. It’s only going to get worse. Giving people transportation options throughout the region is our mission.”
Renderings in the report show the rough path the line will take, plus the planned stations. Three are in Everett, one is in Lynnwood and the rest are in unincorporated Snohomish County. The project is still in its planning stages, so the report outlines multiple possible routes and station locations.
Across the six planned stations and one additional “provisional” station, Sound Transit forecasts more than 25,000 riders will board every day.
“Over the next 20 years, we are going to be adding 60,000 residents,” Mayor Cassie Franklin of Everett said. “We are going to be a very big city and these stations will be necessary to serve our growing community.”
KIRO 7 caught up with Franklin, who is also a Sound Transit board member, at Everett Station. Buses and trains currently stop there, but a light rail station will be built nearby in the coming years.
“We will be able to get people to their job centers in Seattle, Bellevue or Renton,” she said.
Progress comes with a cost, though. According to the report, hundreds of homes and businesses will be displaced by the construction. The exact figure varies depending on the location of proposed stations and routes.
Franklin said she is working to make sure the project does not promote gentrification or disrupt businesses that cannot easily relocate, like manufacturing.
“We want the stations that are coming into Everett to serve today’s residents and our residents long into the future,” she said.
You can read the executive summary of Sound Transit’s report here.
Sound Transit is requesting feedback on the plan. It will host a series of community meetings in October. The public may also respond via phone or email. You can get in touch here.