State lawmakers declined to unlock a financial tool that Sound Transit sought to get through a coming financial crunch, and approved a tax package that is expected to bring the agency a big revenue hit.
Thanks to newly revealed cost-saving measures, the cost to bring rail to Alaska Junction is now just $700 million to $1.1 billion over the amount baked into Sound Transit's financial plan, a major change compared to where things stood just 18 months ago.
The proposed $410 million levy is around 50% higher than the 2019 library levy, adjusted for inflation. With a focus on maintaining hours and modestly expanding services, the package doesn't include many big ticket items.
Washington's Court of Appeals will decide whether the legislature left a major loophole in place when it passed recent laws to prevent zoning changes that increase housing capacity in cities from being mired in lengthy legal appeals.
2026 had been an opportunity to get Seattle and King County on the same page when it came to sustainable, long-term funding for Metro. But King County leaders are signaling they need more time.
Ferry advocates had been hoping that expanded authority to create passenger ferry districts could allow them to supplement state ferry service in more areas. But changes to the bill in the state Senate could significantly undermine that goal.
After House transportation chair Jake Fey blocked a bill giving Sound Transit’s authority to issue longer-term bonds up to 75 years in length, the sponsor in the state Senate amended the provision into a different bill that remains alive, giving the effort a new lease on life.
Taking on an incumbent who has been in office since 2011, Ron Davis is eyeing tax changes, housing reforms, and a more robust state response to federal overreach as major planks of his platform.
WSDOT’s concept would remove the northbound ramp from I-90 onto Rainier Avenue and improve safety at the other freeway ramps. A clear step in the right direction, the unfunded plan is not as bold as some transportation advocates would like to see near such an important light rail station.
When it opens in 2028, the S3 rapid bus line will provide riders across Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline with a more frequent, reliable transit option and extend the reach of Sound Transit’s light rail network.