STATE OF THE CITY: Mayor wants to speed up West Seattle light rail

| Sound Transit | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

We haven’t had a chance to watch Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s entire State of the City address yet (that’s the ~50 minutes of video above, courtesy of Seattle Channel), delivered today at noon – we saw the start and the finish, but had to go check out the South Delridge gunfire scene in the middle. However, a quick look at the summary provided by the mayor’s office yielded this point of interest:

Expediting light rail expansion: Mayor Harrell will issue an Executive Order this week to support faster delivery of light rail expansion to West Seattle and Ballard. The mayor will propose legislation that could speed up delivery by more than a year and the City will create the Office of Waterfront, Civic Projects & Sound Transit, which will orchestrate up to 50 staff in supporting project design and engineering, station area planning, and more.

We subsequently asked mayoral spokesperson Callie Craighead for details, and she said those would be forthcoming in a few days: “We will be announcing the Sound Transit Executive Order later this week, so more to come on that.” The “prepared remarks” version of his speech used this verbiage:

Growing our transit network with fast, reliable service is one of my highest priorities, and Sound Transit 3 is the largest transit expansion in the country. That’s why, this week, I will issue an Executive Order to make sure the City of Seattle is taking immediate action to safely and efficiently expedite delivery of light rail to West Seattle and Ballard.

Our efforts will include a newly expanded Office of Waterfront, Civic Projects & Sound Transit, led by Director Angela Brady, which will be at the center of orchestrating a surge in staff of up to 50 City employees supporting project design and engineering, station area planning, and more.

We will propose new pieces of legislation to ease the permitting process – maintaining essential safety protections while reducing burdens and barriers to shorten project schedules. This work could save more than a year of project time.

Our region is clamoring for light rail expansion – this Executive Order represents the City’s pledge to do our part to get it done as quickly as possible.

Currently, the West Seattle expansion is projected for completion late in 2032, but there are myriad milestones to achieve first, not the least of which is funding, including federal dollars.

CarDriver February 18, 2025 (6:58 pm)

“Easing the permitting process”. Sounds like any environmental concerns will be sidelined and also doesn’t bode well for those businesses and homeowners who will be displaced. Any legitimate concerns they may have will be glossed over in the rush to build. But, of course the unanswered question is money. What will it really cost and if indeed they push for faster build how much extra will be spent to actually(try to) make that happen.

walkerws February 18, 2025 (8:40 pm)

Claims to worry about environmental issues but concern trolls daily on WSB under the user name “Cardriver” – irony is dead
- 1994 February 18, 2025 (11:02 pm)
  
  Is it car driver or card river?
Derek February 18, 2025 (9:22 pm)

Exhausting post. (Get it?…exhaust… ah never mind)
- onion February 19, 2025 (7:40 am)
  
  How much funding is promised from the federal government? How much will we actually see from the Musk Administration?
  - 22blades February 20, 2025 (5:50 am)
    
    $0,000,000.00
Tom February 20, 2025 (4:29 pm)

He could speed things up by not pushing for the CID and south lake union options that only serve Amazon and the business owners…

Johnny Stulic February 18, 2025 (7:12 pm)

In order to “expedite” the LR delivery by one full year, which is insignificant considering when it’s supposed to open (2034?), they’ll now create another layer of bureaucrats that will suck out critical money from the system. All this is happening in the background of guaranteed zero federal funding coming in from the TFG administration that is openly hostile to cities like Seattle. I don’t know what “third party funding” ST has been counting on to build this, but if it’s the federal government, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we are never getting the WS extension because TFG and Elmo are never leaving.

T Fec February 18, 2025 (8:38 pm)

I’m betting the businesses will close and residents will move out and those buildings will sit empty for years. They will deteriorate quickly, taken over by homeless people looking for shelter, graffiti will cover the outsides of the buildings, all things they happen in situations like this. And think about the area at Jefferson Square and other buildings in that area. And they will sit and sit and sit. They will say they need more money and they will get it, this thing is nothing but a money pit but I would bet a few folks are getting very rich from this, the money they are getting from us is not going into a savings account. What a crock of poop.

Peter February 18, 2025 (10:25 pm)

I think you are exactly right! The project is simply unaffordable & unrealistic.
Lagartija Nick February 19, 2025 (6:49 am)

Except that NOT ONE SINGLE STATION across the ALREADY EXISTING network looks anything like that! The vast majority of stations are thriving hubs of commerce and residences, not the blighted hellscape you describe above. Seriously, if you have to lie to make a point, you have no point at all.
- brandon February 19, 2025 (9:23 am)
  
  Nick, reread the post. Think The Hole is the point.
Ron M February 19, 2025 (8:45 am)

You’re absolutely right

John P Woods February 18, 2025 (8:40 pm)

Remember, time is money. The sooner they finish construction, the less it will cost. Property values go up. Wages go up. Material costs go up. Tick, tick tick …

Niko February 19, 2025 (1:35 am)

That’s just what we need already overvalued properties to go up even more and force people out of their homes at the beehest of greedy politicians that want more tax revenue

WTF February 18, 2025 (8:57 pm)

Diversion tactic! Wake up people. Haven’t you had enough?

Derek February 18, 2025 (9:21 pm)

Any progressive opponent of his will want the same thing. I’m done with Bruce. Time to elect this Amazon puppet out. I want light rail immediately but I want Bruce gone also.

Burgerman February 18, 2025 (11:09 pm)

I think there’s a saying about “leopards eating their faces” you might want to check out.

Peter Leahy February 18, 2025 (10:05 pm)

Thank you Mayor Harrell! I’m very happy to finally see some proactive leadership in getting light rail built. I’d like to see the same type of leadership in building more housing by getting rid of design review, parking minimums, and ridiculously restrictive zoning.

Ferns February 23, 2025 (5:34 am)

How about fire safety codes too. Should we get rid of that?

Alex February 18, 2025 (10:42 pm)

I wonder how the imminent NEPA reform will change things. It looks like West Seattle Link already published their final EIS, but Ballard still isn’t due until 2026. Scaling NEPA back could certainly speed things up if the government decides to take advantage. https://www.eenews.net/articles/trump-moves-to-claw-back-almost-50-years-of-nepa-regs/

Marcus February 19, 2025 (5:22 am)

Not a fan of light rail to WS. Increase bus access instead. Less $$$$ and less impact.

anonyme February 19, 2025 (6:05 am)

All I’m getting from this is that the Mayor is about to add yet another level of expensive bureaucracy that will do NOTHING to improve transportation options. Take that money and improve bus service, which will be needed with or without light rail. It’s a simple, obvious, and cost-saving move that apparently just doesn’t have enough political motivation behind it – or cheerleading lion dancers in front of it.

WS Res February 19, 2025 (12:47 pm)

You’ve been told over and over that the bus service and the light rail are two totally separate agencies and thus totally separate pots of money, so this fantasy of funding transfer isn’t happening, but you appear to refuse to listen.

CP February 19, 2025 (8:30 am)

Good! We need fast, reliable transit NOW. This project is coming, it’s been voted on, it’s been approved, it’s been vetted and analyzed to death. It’s a GO. Enough with the delays.

brandon February 19, 2025 (9:26 am)

I can’t help but think about what $7 billion (and rising) could do around Seattle to resolve some of the bigger issues facing the city, rather than a transportation over reach.

Joan February 19, 2025 (8:48 am)

I would love to have light rail here. It will never be cheap and will never satisfy everyone. Sad but true. We have to find a way to proceed that checks most of the boxes. More buses is not the answer. Look at Europe.

Aaron G February 19, 2025 (8:59 am)

The Urbanist reported the other day that the West Seattle Light Rail would require 84 Master Use Permits due to the complexity permitting and construction process in Seattle. In other words, reducing the red tape would reduce costs and speed up construction. I hope this is true. Light rail couldn’t get here soon enough.

Bus Rider February 20, 2025 (5:59 am)

Yes, let’s look at Europe. Norway is building a 17 mile undersea tunnel for $2 billion. Sound Transit’s West Seattle STUB is 4 miles for $7 billion. But it is still in design phase so we know it will cost much more.

brandon February 19, 2025 (9:18 am)

Hint: the buses are faster and more reliable than what we’ve had the past 20 years. Imagine what $10 billion can do to build from that without all the disruption. Ballard yes, that’s reasonable. West Seattle, not so much at that cost. Let’s build from a reasonable budget, rather that just a “want”.

Scarlett February 19, 2025 (9:53 am)

I take the bus to Ballard frequently, and am not seeing where light rail is necessary.

Scarlett February 19, 2025 (9:43 am)

Next time you want to throw big bucks into an economic revitalization project – because that’s really what this light rail project is – just be honest about it. Don’t insult our intelligence with fables about how light rail is going to be transformative for West Seattle – it certainly hasn’t been for other neighborhoods. Bus transit will still get me and thousands of others from home to our actual destination – not just in the general vicinity – far more easily. Of course, if an economic shot in the arm is what you want, move some tax dollars around into other pockets, you could just dig a big hole and fill it, as the Japanese say.

K February 19, 2025 (10:02 am)

Look like Harrell is fishing for support after Prop. 1B failed so badly. Gotta love election-year promises! Like he didn’t know about Sound Transit or the West Seattle extension until his final year in office. 🙄

brandon February 19, 2025 (11:17 am)

We should be very concerned about Dow in the running to be hired as CEO of Sound Transit. 4 other candidates are also in running but not named. The post pays $670k. Not sure that Dow has the infrastructure chops. But I’m sure the Board feels he’s a safe bet since he’s been so close. So Dow gets ST CEO, Claudia becomes KCE, expect more of the same.

Bbron February 19, 2025 (10:53 pm)

450k – 650k is 670k?
- brandon February 20, 2025 (12:07 am)
  
  From Seattle Times:”The CEO’s salary could go as high as $675,000, to oversee a staff of 1,600 and a budget exceeding $4 billion a year, while attempting to launch a dozen rail and bus megaprojects, mostly falling behind the voter-approved schedules.”I cut them a 5k break. You missedl by $25k. hth.
  - WSB February 20, 2025 (12:16 am)
    
    I don’t know where the Times got the extra $25K, couldn’t read the story since it’s paywalled, but I trust Mike’s work. That said, the job listing itself seems pretty clear –
    https://recruiting.ultipro.com/SOU1036SOUND/JobBoard/dcc5dbea-875e-4cd1-bfd2-8e046cecc54f/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=85d3ce2d-13db-4c74-a198-b13aa76442df
    - brandon February 20, 2025 (10:44 am)
      
      I too, tend to trust Mike’s work, and as of today, it hasn’t been updatd or corrected, so maybe it’s a benefits inclusion. Here’s a hack: The Times always runs a $1/3 month promo. Even when you cancel, they usually repeat it. It’s one of the few ways to keep up on the multiple paywalls on the net. Plus, almost (it seems) 50% of the coverage is from NYT, LAT, WP, etc.

TransitRider February 19, 2025 (4:12 pm)

Bus service in WS is so bad. I cannot wait for light rail. We’re at least half a century behind where we should be.

brandon February 20, 2025 (12:08 am)

I use the bus service frequently and find Rapid Ride more than adequate, buzzing by all the traffic on the bridge. Sure beats a $7 billion over reach.

Passenger Joe February 19, 2025 (11:45 pm)

These comments made me laugh! There are still residents arguing till the end how increasing bus service is a better alternative to the light rail. They are willing to die on that hill, even after the project has been given multiple green lights and approvals for months now. Truly a good chuckle. Build, baby, build!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Scarlett February 20, 2025 (8:23 am)

Sounds like nervous chuckling to me. Derision is always the fallback for those who are faced with truths they don’t want to accept.

22blades February 20, 2025 (5:55 am)

Any funding model involving Federal funds is out the window. Gone. Kaput. Evaporated in a couple of weeks thanks to Agent Orange.

wetone February 20, 2025 (8:31 am)

Spending a Billion$$$$+dollars a mile for any transportation project is just bad and irresponsible, especially as this WS route. Even more embarrassing is how Bruce Harrell and Dow Constantine have pushed so hard for a project that accomplishes so little, why is that ? ;) By time Light Rail if/is built, the WS and Ballard bridges that service areas will need replaced…… and should be #1 focus of today. We need functional transportation corridors that serves all, not some billion dollar a mile rail that accommodates so few and destroys communities.

Ex-Westwood Resident February 20, 2025 (3:00 pm)

$10.5 – $14 BILLION for a seven (7) mile, $1.5 to $2 BILLION per mile, train that will do, according to Sound Transit, absolutely NOTHING to relieve congestion/traffic on the toads between West Seattle and SODO where you MUST transfer to a bus or another LLR train to get downtown.

I truly believe that the money could be spent on better ways that will ACTUALLY reduce congestion.

Eric 43 February 25, 2025 (5:30 am)

Of course the mayor wants to expedite light rail to West Seattle He’s up for reelection so he needs all the brownie points he can get typical politician

Sorry, comment time is over.