Sound Transit's Murky Path to Ballard, with Regionwide ST4 Hopes Dim

The Sound Transit Board of Directors took a fateful vote last Thursday, preserving some projects, delaying others, and putting some indefinite limbo in order to address a $35 billion long-term budget shortfall. Regional voters approved the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) package in 2016, and the plan's dramatic reshaping has roiled transit advocates, who had been hoping for faster timelines rather than further delays.

Ballard, Interbay, and Tukwila were the biggest losers on Thursday, with their light rail stations no longer fully funded or provided with estimated opening dates. The agency has pegged the funding gap for Ballard and Interbay light rail at $7 billion to $9 billion.

Suburban members of the board have rebuffed calls for additional funding via an ST4 funding measure, saying it's too early to take that step. Moreover, since the "Affordable ST3" plan from Board Chair Dave Somers (who is Snohomish County Executive) prioritized building the light rail spine to Tacoma and Everett, Snohomish and Pierce counties largely avoided the delays that befell other subareas. From such a vantage, additional funding may seem less urgent or even necessary.

The lack of urgency or vision to complete projects as promised has led some transit advocates to float the idea of board reform, effectively putting new decisionmakers into place.

https://www.theurbanist.org/sound-transits-murky-path-to-ballard-st4/