WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: City Council briefing Tuesday

(One routing option by WS Golf Course, from page 253 of DEIS section 4.2.1)

If you’re still trying to get up to speed on the Sound Transit Draft Environmental Impact Statement for West Seattle (and beyond) light rail, here’s your next chance to watch a briefing/discussion: Tuesday morning, it’s on the agenda for the 9:30 am online meeting of the City Council’s Transportation Committee. The DEIS is the document that details various potential impacts of the multiple routing and station-location options. Sound Transit is taking comments through April 28th; then its board will decide this summer which routing/station locations will go through the final phase of environmental studies. The city has multiple roles in the process — it’s working with ST on station planning, it could consider contributing “third-party funding” for options that would cost extra, and it has two reps on the ST board, City Council President Debora Juarez and Mayor Bruce Harrell. You can sign up to comment at Tuesday’s meeting – the agenda explains how – and you’ll be able to watch it live (or recorded for later playback) via Seattle Channel. If you want to review the DEIS independently, you can do that via ST’s online open house here, which also offers opportunities for comment.

James February 14, 2022 (7:52 am)

Tunnel options please!! That’s all I want. Let’s get lightrail here asap!

Question Authority February 14, 2022 (9:00 am)

Tunneling is neither asap nor is it cheap so just be grateful a train will potentially get to WS before 2050, if the cost overruns don’t kill it first.
Jim February 15, 2022 (2:52 am)

It’s time to scrap and defund Sound Transit before they bleed every resident dry

Stuck in West Seattle February 14, 2022 (1:57 pm)

No to any surface or elevated option. Why are they not following the same route as the bridge? That would have made the most sense. Shame they didnt remove the bridge deck and rebuilt it for both cars and transit.

Chemist February 14, 2022 (3:15 pm)

I think they want the transit resiliency that comes from a dedicated light rail bridge. Also, since buses already were using the high bridge, it does serve transit in those dedicated red lanes.
Martin Pagel February 14, 2022 (8:15 pm)

There is no space next to road/bridge to build a track and stations which can connect with the bus lines along 35th Ave and Delridge Way.
Ron Swanson February 15, 2022 (8:27 am)

The grade of the bridge is too steep, and the track structures required would weigh too much for the bridge to support.

CarDriver February 14, 2022 (5:13 pm)

Question Authority. I remember the 1st monorail to WS debacle. I initially voted for it. What got me, and others to vote no was the fact that costs suddenly had increased 100% and NO assurances it wouldn’t go up more. We DO need light rail, but we shouldn’t give a blank check to the builders/operators. However, the realist in me say’s enough people will be willing to look the other way as they’re emptying their wallets.

Question Authority February 14, 2022 (7:55 pm)

I remember that as well and also when the business owner whose property was seized for a Sodo station couldn’t even afford to buy it back at auction. If there’s one thing common with projects around it’s overruns and delays, that’s after years of commenting and endless meetings.