The Sound Transit board voted Thursday to overhaul expansion plans, prioritizing the rail spine from Tacoma to Everett, while deferring indefinitely stations in Tukwila, Interbay, and Ballard. Seattle leaders got Graham Street back into plans, but lamented the stations put on ice.
The long-promised Graham Street light rail station would go from limbo to back on track if Sound Transit board members approve an amendment advanced by Katie Wilson, Girmay Zahilay, and Teresa Mosqueda. The proposal promises "last in" funding from King County and Seattle.
A proposal from Land Use Committee Chair Eddie Lin would bring Seattle's land use code in line with state law, following several changes in recent years that have limited the ability of legal appeals to slow down moves to densify Washington's cities. The move is already attracting opposition.
An amendment from boardmember Dan Strauss would direct Sound Transit to prioritize a "starter line" between Westlake and Ballard ahead of a new tunnel in Downtown Seattle, flipping the script on Ballard Link. With a vote on Thursday, the timeline to consider such a move will be brief.
Hundreds of Seattleites turned out Saturday to celebrate the start of the 2026 Bicycle Weekend schedule, scaled back up by Mayor Katie Wilson after being stifled under the previous administration.
Direct service between light rail stations in Seattle and Bellevue and several major Eastside trailheads starts Saturday, and runs on weekends and holidays through August 30. Seattle's transit funding measure provides a big source of the dollars to operate the shuttles.
A bill quietly approved this week establishes a range of paid parking hourly rates between $1 and $8, with the actual fee charged to drivers based on the demand for curb access on that block. Bellevue is currently a major outlier when it comes to providing free on-street parking citywide.
The exclusive island enclave's residents have a reputation as being anti-growth. A recent public hearing at the Bainbridge Island Planning Commission showed how many are actually clamoring for more housing options.
A commitment to reduce barriers standing in the way of future 4 Line light rail is the latest move by Issaquah leaders to get their project moving. Later this month, the Sound Transit board is set to approve a new six-year delay for the project.
The Wilson administration and the Seattle City Council are starting to get on the same page around what it means to go much bigger in the next phase of the city's growth plan. Despite 'faster' right in the name, the process could stretch into 2028.