As Sound Transit Debates ST3's Future, County Execs Weigh In

TACOMA, WA — The Sound Transit Board will make a key vote on Thursday, deciding the future of the ST3 transportation package. Depending on how that vote pans out, it could mean a multi-year delay for several of the proposed new Link Light Rail stations — a delay that has some critics crying foul.

The main issue at hand is a budget shortfall of several billion dollars. As the Seattle Times' Mike Lindblom first reported, at the start of 2021 Sound Transit found itself $12 billion dollars short of the funding necessary to build the nine light rail extensions and two rapid transit bus routes initially proposed in the 2016 Sound Transit 3 (ST3) package. The funding gap came from several sources, including inaccurate early cost estimates, and the rising costs of both land and construction, Lindblom reported.

The shortfall has since been chipped down to $8 billion and could shrink even more depending on how much federal funding Washington receives for infrastructure projects. The latest estimate from the Biden administration shows Washington receiving $7.2 billion over the next five years, the News Tribune reported. That money would need to be set aside for several causes, but does include funding for public transit.

Even with that funding, however, overcoming that multi-billion dollar shortfall will still pose a significant challenge to Sound Transit, and as a result its board of directors is considering a vote to adopt a new "flexible framework", which supporters say would give them space to shore up the necessary funding.

That new framework would include several delays, postponing the Federal Way-Tacoma extension from 2030 to 2032, and the completion of the Everett Station 6 years to 2042.

The proposal to delay the completion of the northern and southern ends of the light rail's "spine" has some upset. In early July, several advocacy groups asked Sound Transit to skip the delays and focus on connecting the south end to the north end as quickly as possible, the Times reported.

Now, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier are weighing in as well. The executives have issued a joint letter asking the same, saying they support an amendment to the plan that would prioritize the northern and southern Link expansion and sidestep any long-term delays. Together they argue that, as the ST3 proposal was approved by voters across the region, regional interests should be prioritized over the later additions to the package, like the tunnels that will be necessary to connect West Seattle and Ballard to the light rail.

"The light rail spine—linking Everett and Tacoma to Seattle—was the best and quickest way to relieve congestion on our I-5 corridor," the executives wrote. "The Link to Bellevue provided similar benefits for our I-90/I-405/520 freeways. However, the vision of completing the regional spine is again threatened by those who want to provide expensive add-ons that were never approved by the regions’ voters."

If the amendment is successful, it could drastically alter Sound Transit's timetable, and could mean delays for core stations in Seattle. The executives say, that's a necessary sacrifice to ensure broad regional growth.

"Our ability to maintain economic growth and preserve our quality of life depends on our region making good on the 28-year promise to complete the spine, finally linking the major jobs and population centers of Central Puget Sound. It’s what our residents want, and our region needs."

The Sound Transit Board of Directors is set to vote on the flexible framework proposal, and the potential amendment, at a special meeting Thursday afternoon.

>> Read the current framework proposal, Resolution No. R2021-05