The Sound Transit Board has unanimously approved changes Thursday to its Sound Transit 3 plan that can deliver light rail projects several years sooner under a revised Nov. 3 ballot measure.
The approved changes will speed up ST3 light rail extensions by two to five years and add projects in Renton, Kirkland and North Seattle.
Agency officials said last month that they found $4 billion in extra bonding capacity, allowing them to speed up the timeline for projects and making the previously announced $50 billion, 25-year plan a $54 billion plan with the same amount of taxes.
"The public sent us a clear message: We want light rail and other high-capacity mass transit, and we want it as soon as possible. That's exactly what the Sound Transit Board approved today," said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. "We'll continue to work with cities, communities and other partners to deliver rail and bus rapid transit even sooner."
The board will consider final documents on the projects on June 23.
The final ST3 projects would build a total of 62 new miles of light rail with 37 new stations.
The new timeline calls for speeding up light rail to Everett by five years, with the line opening in 2036 rather than 2041.
Other changes include:
- Ballard's extension would open in 2035, three years sooner than planned.
- West Seattle's extension would open in 2030, also three years sooner than specified in the timeline in the draft plan released in March.
- A new light rail line between Issaquah and Bellevue would extend further to reach south Kirkland.
- New facilities in Kirkland and Renton would be added to the Bus Rapid Transit on I-405 between Lynnwood and Burien that is planned to be among the first-completed projects.
- A new station at Northeast 130th Street in Seattle would move from provisional to fully funded status.
- Expanded Sounder commuter rail capital investments in South King County and Pierce County would increase system capacity, enhance service, and extend the line to Tillicum and DuPont.
Cox Media Group
