SEATTLE — The planning phase for Sound Transit's proposed West Seattle Link Extension is expected to be completed next year.
Approved by voters in 2016, the West Seattle Link Extension has increased in price from $2.3 billion to just under $4 billion. Service is also scheduled to start two years later than anticipated. Despite setbacks and community pushback, Sound Transit is moving forward on a project that's one of the biggest, if not the biggest, investments in transportation in the region's history.
According to Sound Transit, the West Seattle Link Extension will "provide fast, reliable light rail connections to dense residential and job centers in the SODO, Delridge and West Seattle neighborhoods."
Sound Transit expects hundreds of people will be displaced, with homes and businesses being demolished to make way for the Link extension. A spokesperson for the agency provided this link that goes over the displacement.
Rethink the Link, a group pushing for sound transit to select a no-build option, is concerned about the impact on the community. The group also thinks the price tag of $4 billion could be better spent improving other forms of transportation already being used in West Seattle.
"Life, in general, costs a lot of money, so if I can take the light rail and save some money, I wouldn't be mad about it," one commuter said.
Sound Transit is asking for feedback from the community on its proposal. The Station Planning Survey can be found at this link.
People who could impacted by a potential route or station are encouraged to check out the project's Online Open House and sign up for email updates. You can contact the project team at westseattlelink@soundtransit.org for more information. The Sound Transit Board will decide on the project that will be built after a final Environmental Impact Statement is published for the West Seattle Link Extension.
Download our free KING 5 app to stay up-to-date on news stories from across western Washington.