Updated
Updated · Seattle Transit Blog · Aug 13
Sound Transit Approves 55 West Seattle Link Acquisitions as 3.9-Mile Extension Slips to 2035
Updated
Updated · Seattle Transit Blog · Aug 13

Sound Transit Approves 55 West Seattle Link Acquisitions as 3.9-Mile Extension Slips to 2035

3 articles · Updated · Seattle Transit Blog · Aug 13

Summary

  • Sound Transit’s System Expansion Committee authorized the acquisition process for 55 properties needed for the West Seattle Link Extension, including 19 homes, industrial sites, railroads, and city or county land.
  • The agency will appraise each parcel and begin negotiations with owners within the next year; tenants typically get 18 months to relocate.
  • The 3.9-mile line from SODO to Alaska Junction is now set to open in 2035, delayed from 2032 because the new West Seattle bridge will take longer to build.
  • Service at opening will require 3 Line riders to transfer to the 1 Line in SODO, with a one-seat ride to downtown Seattle not expected until the second tunnel opens in 2042.
  • $100 million in new savings from relocating Seattle City Light infrastructure inside the rail corridor adds to nearly $2 billion in design-change savings across the project.

Insights

With condemnation on the table for 55 parcels, who really pays the price for the West Seattle light rail expansion?
How can a $765 million land purchase request keep the budget intact while quietly pushing the rail opening to 2035?
Will the complex Duwamish River crossing ultimately erase the billions saved from cutting the Avalon Station?