Sound Transit passed the funding gap plan, prompting an overhaul of its ST3 expansion plans and delaying some projects while it seeks new revenue streams.
SEATTLE — The Sound Transportation Regulatory Commission has approved a comprehensive overhauling its voter-approved ST3 expansion plan On Thursday, the agency acknowledged a projected $34.5 billion shortfall, which agency leaders said made original plans unaffordable.
The vote follows months of discussions over rising construction costs, inflation, lower-than-expected revenue and increased operating expenses that prevented the agency from fully funding the regional transit expansion plan approved by voters in 2016.
A packed Sound Transit board meeting at Union Station was filled with transit advocates and riders urging board members to preserve projects promised to communities throughout the region.
Voters approved ST3 in 2016, authorizing taxes to fund major transportation investments, including light rail extensions to West Seattle, Ballard, Tacoma and Everett. But Sound Transit leaders now say current financial projections no longer support the original delivery schedule.
“The original delivery schedule is no longer affordable,” Sound Transportation Commission Chairman Dave Summers told the board. “That’s the hard truth we’ve been facing for the last year.”
Under the revised plan, some projects remain fully funded, while others are delayed, phased in or have no construction funding for the time being.
The most obvious change is the West Seattle Line extension. The project is still funded, but the planned Avalon station is no longer included in the fully funded plan. In Seattle, only the original Ballard Link segment to Seattle Center is fully funded under the program, while the extension from Seattle Center to Market Street in Ballard will require additional funding to continue construction.
Sound Transit leaders say the revised plan allows the agency to move forward with projects while aligning long-term costs with available revenue.
The agency also explored additional revenue streams and cost-saving measures, including fare gates, revenue from the Washington Clean Fuel Standard carbon credit program and other operational changes.
Transportation advocates in attendance urged the board not to further delay the project.
“The Build a Damn Train coalition wants to see the light rail lines not be cut,” Kirk Hovenkotter, executive director of the Transportation Options Alliance, told the board. “To keep projects going because they’re only going to get more expensive the longer we wait, and for the board to remember that we’re in this together as a region.”
Ballard supporters have pressured the board to determine when service will arrive in their communities, arguing delays have left residents skeptical of future timelines.
“We don’t believe they would contact us if we didn’t have a date,” Save Ballard Rail advocate Jonatan Gonzalez told the board, while supporting an amendment seeking a clearer schedule for Ballard service.
Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine told board members the law requires the agency to adopt a system plan that is consistent with current long-term financial projections. Agency officials say the biggest funding challenges will come in the mid-2030s, and tough decisions will need to be made now to avoid bigger problems later.
The board ultimately approved an amendment requiring Sound Transit to provide the public with a fixed date or date range for when service is expected to begin at Smith Cove, Interbay and Ballard stations by Aug. 1, 2026.
Despite the modifications, Sound Transit leaders stressed they remain committed to ultimately realizing the broader ST3 vision as additional funding, cost savings or new revenue streams become available.
Projects delayed due to lack of resources:
- Tacoma Dome Link Extension Parking Lot
- Everett Link Extension Parking Lot
- Stride Bus Rapid Transit Parking Lot
- North Sammamish Park and Ride
- Edmonds and Mukilteo parking and access improvements
- Shoulder Bus Project
- SR 162 Corridor Improvements
- Sounder South Platform Extension
- Traffic improvements at Sounder South Station
- ST Express bus base, remaining
List of projects fully funded to complete construction:
- Tacoma Dome access improvements
- West Seattle line extension, no Avalon station
- Renton Transit Center Parking Lot
- Tacoma Dome Link Extension
- Everett Link Extension, Phase 1
- Everett Link Extension, Phase 2
- Ballard Link Extension, first section to Seattle Center
- TCC Tacoma Link Extension (now 2043)
- South Kirkland–Issaquah Connection (now 2050)
- Link Operations and Maintenance Facility South
- Link Operations and Maintenance Facility North
- Graham Street Station
- Sounder repair base
Projects partially funded through the planning and design stages:
- Ballard Connect Extension, final design stages
- Boeing Channel Station, final design stage
- Sounder South Additional Trip (Partially Funded)
- DuPont sounder expansion, planning stages
- Regional Parking Fund
- ST Express Bus Base (partially funded)
- High Capacity Bus Corridor Study/ST4 Planning (Partially Funded)
Projects that cannot be undertaken within current resource limits:
- Ballard Link Extension, Seattle Center to Market Street
- Boeing Channel Filling Station
- Sounder extra travel
- DuPont Sounder Expansion, Final Design and Construction
- High Capacity Transit Corridor Study/ST4 Planning
