Month: February 2025

Originally around 2013, the Ballard Link Extension was envisioned as an at-grade alternative. Transit advocates and others pushed for complete grade separation for faster speed and reliability. Sound Transit extended the ST3 a decade and convinced the other sub areas to help fund a second transit tunnel. Unfortunately the preferred Ballard Link Extension has faced large cost overruns from $5.2 billion dollars to now $10.8 billion. In light of the eye-watering cost increases, a second look at the original at-grade options studied in the early 2010s should be considered.

Continue reading “Ballard Light Rail At-Grade”

As Issaquah continues to grow, traffic has become a challenge. With I-90 running through the city and with major elevation differences between west and east, the few arteries are getting clogged. Now the city is considering another I-90 crossing. Would that address the problem? Or would it be better to increase transit options such as adding a gondola?

Continue reading “Issaquah Gondola”

Note: the site recently experienced downtime due to a clerical error, and is slowly coming back online. Apologies for the inconvenience. – Management.

73 days until the Downtown Redmond Link Extension opens.

Sounder Alert: Sound Transit sent an alert yesterday that the N Line is cancelled until tomorrow evening (2/27) due to a mudslide. ST spokespeople said the mudslide happened at milepost 25.5, near Big Gulch, and BNSF has closed the main line track for 48 hours to clear it.

Local Transit:

• Four bus stops will reopen in Seattle’s Chinatown International District (The Seattle Times, $). A few perspectives regarding the temporary closure (Real Change)
• Amtrak Ramps Up Sounder Train Maintenance Work, but Service Still Reduced (The Urbanist)
• Community Transit To Reduce Fares for Some Riders in March (The Urbanist)
• Metro to resume bus fare inspections: What to expect (The Seattle Times, $) The article also has information on ridership and fare-recovery targets.
• Seattle’s most dangerous stretch of Light Rail track (KUOW; featuring Martin Pagel!)
• For E-Buses to Succeed, Cities Need to Focus on Charging and Implementation (Transport Matters)
• ST Express fair dropping to $3; day passes to $6 (ST News Release)

Continue reading “Midweek Roundup: State of the City”

Sound Transit is currently in the planning phase of building the Ballard Link Extension (BLE). These plans currently include a second downtown Seattle transit tunnel parallel to the one currently used by the 1 Line. By 2026, trains will run Lynnwood – Federal Way and Lynnwood – Redmond using this tunnel. Once all planned link extensions are completed (est. 2041), the plan is for trains to run Mariner-Redmond and Everett-West Seattle via the existing downtown tunnel (DSTT1). The new tunnel (DSTT2) will be underused, with only Ballard-Tacoma trains. The alignment options for DSTT2 between Westlake and International District bypass dense neighborhoods east of I-5 while failing to meaningfully improve transit options within Downtown Seattle. Instead, Sound Transit should build an independent, automated Ballard – Westlake line.

Continue reading “Automate Ballard Link”

Bogotá is upgrading three of its high-quality TransMilenio BRT lines to an elevated metro line. (TheB1M) It’s expected to open in 2028, with 1 million daily passengers. Here’s a map:

The metro line will follow the light blue, dark blue, and green lines from the western edge to the northeast edge. A second line was announced in 2020. The video compares the tradeoffs between surface, trenched, cut-and-cover, tunnel, and elevated technologies.

More videos after the fold.

Continue reading “Sunday Movies: Upgrading BRT to Rail”

As planned late last year, Link service has been disrupted for several weekends this winter as Sound Transit works to complete several projects requiring closure of track in Downtown and the U-District. The final planned disruption was scheduled for this weekend (February 21 to 23) as a contingency weekend in case work completed the previous weekend needed more time.

This week, Sound Transit announced they would be making use of part of the contingency weekend and an additional weekend to complete additional work. Link 1 Line service between Capitol Hill and SODO stations will be replaced by bus shuttles on Sunday, February 23, returning to normal service during the week. Link 1 Line service will then be replaced by bus shuttles between Capitol Hill and SODO stations from 10pm on Friday, February 28, to end of service on Sunday, March 2.

Continue reading “Weekend Link Disruptions Extended”

Edit, 11:40am, February 21: Sound Transit provided a newer map of the Federal Way Station area, reflecting a design change moving the bus terminal to be directly adjacent to the light rail station. The article has been updated with this information.

Since Federal Way Link is opening in 2026, here’s a brief overview of the 3 stations opening next year and their layout. The diagrams are from the open house and photos from City of Kent and Sound Transit. The stations’ existing poor walkshed will be improved with a new street grid. Biking to destinations east of I-5 will be moderately improved by new bridges, though new I-5 off/on ramps will also increase car to bicycle conflicts.

Continue reading “Federal Way Link Stations and Walkability”

The Seattle Times recently reported that the Board selected 5 candidates for consideration from 60 applicants. After Julie Timm left, Goran Sparrman stepped in as Interim CEO, but he plans to retire on May 15th. A year ago, Sound Transit hired Terri Mestas to lead its construction projects. What would be expected from the next CEO?

Continue reading “Sound Transit CEO Selection”

80 days until the Downtown Redmond Link Extension opens.

Transit & Streets:

• Buzz is growing around a bill to implement a road usage fee which would supplement the gas tax; coverage by Seattle Bike Blog, The Seattle Times ($), and support from the Transportation Choices Coalition.
• Another bill making its way through the state legislature would allow cities to create ‘shared streets’ with walk/bike priority and 10mph speed limits (Seattle Bike Blog)
• Amtrak failed to perform timely inspections, forcing Sound Transit to temporarily cancel Sounder Trips (The Urbanist; The Seattle Times, $) Amtrak provided a response to RT&S Magazine.
• WSDOT delayed the revive I-5 work to next summer, and Seattle is asking for $39M to boost bus service to mitigate traffic (The Seattle Times, $)
• Bellevue wants to open bus lanes to private shuttles (The Urbanist)
• Community Transit reduced fare changes start March 1 (CT News)
• President Trump’s flood of executive orders might impact transit funding across the nation (Transportation For America)

Continue reading “Midweek Roundup: Road Use Fee”