Sound Transit Says Reports of Ballard Link's Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
Should Seattleites be despondent about Ballard light rail, in the wake of a newly adopted Sound Transit system expansion plan that leaves much of the long-promised line unfunded? The regional transit agency's top leadership say no, bringing a cadre of transit reporters into Sound Transit headquarters earlier this week in the hopes of assuaging concerns and laying out what they see as a viable path to get to Market Street in Ballard.
With the much-publicized $34.5 billion shortfall now in the rearview mirror, the agency still needs to find an additional $9 to $11 billion in new revenue – or additional cost savings – to get Ballard Link fully funded. But Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine appeared irked by news coverage portraying the Ballard and Interbay stations as cut or shelved.
"I keep hearing things online or in conversation that are not entirely accurate," Constantine said. "The board action to update the system plan did not kill or cancel or delete or defer or postpone the Ballard project. To the contrary, it kept Ballard on schedule with an investment of $18.1 billion, and that plan that the board adopted gives us the framework and the guidance and the tools needed to roll up our sleeves and to work on solving this puzzle of that money."
Despite voters approving the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) plan in 2016 and several subsequent Seattle mayors pledging to accelerate work on the project, Sound Transit doesn't expect to reach full design on Ballard Link until 2031, with the unfunded segment included in plans thanks to pressure from advocates and Seattle officials.
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https://www.theurbanist.org/sound-transit-says-reports-of-ballard-links-demise-exaggerated/