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BALLARD, Wash. - Sound Transit announced Friday that the Ballard Link Light Rail Extension could begin service as soon as 2042, if it is able to receive all necessary funding by 2033.
This timeline comes about two months after the Sound Transit Board voted to approve expansions to West Seattle, Everett and Tacoma, but not to Ballard's Market Street, as part of Sound Transit 3 (ST3) light rail extension plan.
The backstory:
On May 28, Sound Transit board members voted against the expansion of the Link Light Rail to the Ballard neighborhood as part of the ST3 system plan, due to lack of funding.
The $194.7B plan approved the expansion to West Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett.
According to Sound Transit officials, the Tacoma Dome Link is expected to be finished by 2035, and the West Seattle expansion is expected to be completed around 2032. The Everett expansion is planned for two phases with the first phase completion expected around 2037 and the downtown station completed in 2041.
The initial Ballard link segment will also be constructed at the Seattle Center. However, the expansion planned to connect Ballard's Market Street to the light rail is listed as "not currently affordable within existing resources."
Sound Transit Board votes to expand light rail to West Seattle, Tacoma, not Ballard
The Sound Transit Board has passed a motion for the future ST3 light rail expansion plan to add lines in West Seattle, Everett and Tacoma, but not Ballard.
What we know:
Although the extension to Market Street may not have been approved in May, officials are still working to construct a clear path to a Ballard light rail connection.
"The framework shared by Sound Transit provides a date that’s grounded in tangible steps for delivering all the way to Market Street," said Board member and King County Council member Teresa Mosqueda in a release. "The design work done on West Seattle shows what’s possible when we demand creative thinking and aggressively pursue cost-savings options: properties avoided, ridership retained, and billions saved. Now we must apply the same approach to Ballard while rolling up our sleeves with our state legislative partners to secure the needed financial tools. We will get to Ballard, and we will not stop working until we deliver on that commitment."
The Ballard Link Extension has set important milestones to ensure the project can open in 2042. The project was originally planned to open in 2039, but the schedule shifted due to changes in station locations, an updated construction timeline and an extended environmental review process, according to Sound Transit.
The three milestones are as follows:
- By 2030: Identify $1 billion in additional savings to begin acquiring property between Seattle Center and Market Street in Ballard.
- By 2032: Complete final design in order to give the Board a clearer understanding of the cost of the project, and any additional opportunities for savings.
- By 2033: Secure the funding needed to build the full extension.
What's next:
According to Sound Transit, if funds are not secured, Link light rail services to Smith Cove, Interbay and Market Street could be delayed until around 2060.
Officials say the milestones put in place are crucial to keep the project on track.
"Light rail to Ballard is not dead," said Board member and Seattle City Council member Dan Strauss. "Today’s announcement shows us the way to get Ballard Link back on track. I asked for Sound Transit to provide this date range to increase transparency for the public and provide us all a clear vision of the work we must do together to deliver light rail to Ballard. We must use these tools and get this project delivered by 2042.
The Source: Information in this article is from the City of Seattle and Sound Transit.
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