SEATTLE — Sound Transit leaders will hear from the public as they continue to weigh major changes to the region’s voter-approved light rail expansion plans, while confronting a multibillion-dollar budget gap.
The Sound Transit Board of Directors Executive Committee is holding a special meeting Thursday at 1:30 p.m., with additional time set aside for public comment, as it considers scaling back the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) expansion program. The agency is facing a projected budget shortfall of more than $34 billion in the next two decades.
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Sound Transit has floated several cost-cutting proposals this year that drew criticism from taxpayers and elected leaders across western Washington. Earlier ideas included canceling expansions to Tacoma, Everett, and West Seattle. Under the current proposal, however, Sound Transit says all three projects are still affordable and would remain on track.
Instead, the agency says several projects will move forward only through design or partial funding. These include the Ballard Link extension through final design, infill stations at Boeing Access Road and Graham Street, additional Sounder South trips, and planning work for future ST4 expansions.
However, some of the most ambitious projects, including the full Ballard Link extension from Seattle Center to Market Street, are not currently affordable.
Under the proposal discussed by executive board members, the voter-approved expansion to Ballard would stop short at Seattle Center. The extension to Issaquah remains under consideration, but with a projected completion date 24 years from now.
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Sound Transit is expected to vote on May 28 to reshape its expansion plans to address the projected budget shortfall.
