Transit

An expansion of Third Avenue bus-only lanes further into Belltown had the support of SDOT and King County Metro, and was expected to save riders over 200 cumulative hours every weekday. But the project was cancelled after Councilmember Bob Kettle and some downtown business owners raised concerns.

Sound Transit diverges from international standards by building oversized underground stations that add hundreds of millions in costs to little benefit. Overhauling the agency’s planning framework to promote more efficient designs could help keep projects on track as they face massive financial strain.

After navigating through a number of major issues that added years of delay, the Sound Transit board is poised to adopt a new preferred alternative for Tacoma Dome Link. The project isn't slated to reach full design until 2027 and to open until 2035.

Restoring transit routes to First Avenue, after they were removed in 2011 to make way for the demolition of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, is a needed step in downtown mobility as the neighborhood enters a new era.

Last night, Sound Transit announced it was shutting down 2 Line light rail service on its new Redmond segment (which just opened May 10) to allow for overhead wire repairs. Until that work is complete and inspected, a bus bridge is replacing the light rail service, connecting to Overlake Station where the 2 Line continues to operate in the shortened segment to South Bellevue.

Rather than jumping through new hoops to submit permit applications, Sound Transit will instead simply need to submit a report laying out the public outreach it conducted. The change should allow the original intent of the bill to streamline permitting to be maintained.

The proposal for a 0.1% sale tax hike comes in response to structural issues with King County's budget, and would generate around $100 million annually. Half would fund maintenance on unincorporated roads, and the other half is likely to go to safety upgrades at Metro.

Sound Transit's newly announced "enterprise initiative" is needed to respond to financial pressures expected to impact system expansion plans. But the work is expected to be broader than past financial restructures, where project delay was the most noticeable outcome.