By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
While the region was dealing with transportation troubles by sea and by land this afternoon, the Sound Transit Board of Directors took what you could call it semifinal vote on routing and station locations for West Seattle’s future light rail.
Without much discussion, despite an at-times-emotional last round of public comment, board members unanimously approved final environmental-impact studies for the “preferred alternative” recommended by a board committee two weeks ago, with these locations and possible modifications:
See the full slide deck here. For engineering concept diagrams, you can see this appendix of the Draft Environmental Impact Report; for lists of potentially affected parcels, see this section of the DEIS. (ADDED) For summaries of the chosen options, see this document – page 41 explains the Junction station and the “retained cut” Avalon station that goes with it (unless dropped later), while page 36 explains the Andover station, and page 26 summarizes the “preferred” Duwamish River crossing.
Almost all of the West Seattle-related comments in the hour and a half of public comment that opened the meeting had to do with opposition to the Delridge station option the board is supporting, DEL-6, particularly because of its potential impacts on Transitional Resources, which provides supportive housing and other services to people living with behavioral/mental-health issues, many of whom were formerly homeless, about half of whom TR says are BIPOC. TR’s CEO Darcell Slovek-Walker broke down in tears while speaking to the board today, recounting how she had to tell clients that “their homes are at risk.” TR clients past and present spoke as well; one asked, “how can you even think about tearing it down?” A current resident said, “There’s nothing transitional about (it) … please don’t destroy our homes.” Another, who said TR saved their life 10 years ago, added, “I was given a home that surrounded me with love and support” after leaving a hospital … “the irony is that TR taught me how to use Seattle transit, including light rail, for my independence.” And a TR supporter said that what the organization provides “cannot be replicated” and “serves the most marginalized people in our community.” Almost all the non-WS comments at the meeting were about the Chinatown-ID station south of downtown, which will be studied for at least a few more months before the board votes on a “preferred alternative.”
At least one board member said they were moved by the Transitional Resources stories and pledged to do what they could to find a way to lessen the project’s impact. ST executive Cathal Ridge, while presenting the motion’s key points, said that the modifications to be studied – perhaps shifting the Andover station-related route a bit – could work toward that end.
WHAT’S NEXT: ST staff now works on the final Environmental Impact Statement, which among other things will respond to all the concerns and issues raised in relation to the Draft EIS. The FEIS is due out sometime next year; after that, the board would take a final vote on routing and station locations. If nothing else affects the timeline, West Seattle light rail is still expected to open in 2032.
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