WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: What’s next? November 17 ‘visioning forum’ just announced

The West Seattle light rail plan might change when Sound Transit revisits its long-range plan next year. But how? Your next chance to hear what might happen has just been announced – an event at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) one week from tonight. Here’s the announcement we just received from the office of our local King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda:

Learn about how plans for light rail expansion to West Seattle are progressing and what upcoming Sound Transit Board discussions mean for West Seattle residents.

Councilmember Mosqueda will be co-hosting the West Seattle Light Rail Visioning Forum with Transportation Choices Coalition, the 34th District Democrats, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, County Executive Shannon Braddock, Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine, and Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka will be a co-host and there as well! This will be an opportunity to hear updates from Sound Transit about initial design work and possible cost savings analysis the agency has been working on for the West Seattle alignment, and to get a preview of the possible designs that may continue to be evaluated pending future Sound Transit Board analysis on possible options for light rail to West Seattle.

Date: Monday, November 17th
Time: 5:30 – 7 pm (Doors open at 5 pm)
Location: Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Wy SW

Organizers want to be clear – what you’ll see and hear will NOT be official proposals, at least at this stage:

This will be a preview of some preliminary cost-saving design work on options to bring light rail to West Seattle—and to inform community members on how to stay engaged and informed as the agency continues its analysis and Sound Transit Board discussions continue. Note: this is an early preview of some preliminary thinking on possible ways to move forward, with many discussions and much analysis still to be completed and authorized by the Sound Transit Board — none of these numbers are final and these proposals are still to be discussed with ST board members.

Of the announced co-hosts, one is a ST Board member – Braddock – but as she didn’t run for the permanent job as County Executive, that position on the board will be taken over by Executive-elect Girmay Zahilay, who is already on the board, meaning there’ll be a vacancy to fill.

Question Authority November 10, 2025 (11:56 am)

What do the 34th Democrats have to do with this, Sound Transit is a nonpartisan regional Transportation agency? Sounds rather fishy that they’re involved in this discussion, what is this voter influence from a political perspective?

Rhonda November 10, 2025 (1:38 pm)

Nonpartisan? I don’t know any of us Republicans who want light rail in West Seattle.
- Ann Ott November 12, 2025 (3:55 pm)
  
  Republicans don’t want light rail in WS why?
  - Justin November 13, 2025 (1:58 pm)
    
    Because they want to turn every street in West Seattle into a freeway
WSB November 10, 2025 (2:23 pm)

Having covered that group for most of the past 18 years, I’d observe that they address many civic, national, even international issues that aren’t necessarily “partisan.” And with the decline in recent years in the number of geographic, issue-driven community organizations locally, at least somebody still is. Also of note, I looked into the archives and they formally endorsed ST3 when it went to voters nine years ago:
https://westseattleblog.com/2016/07/video-34th-district-democrats-endorse-st3-engage-in-qa-with-mayor-murray/
Ivan Weiss November 10, 2025 (2:59 pm)

Oh, booga, booga! The evil Democrats are out there trying to steal QA’s lunch money. I’m sure if the 34th District Republicans (assuming there are any) had expressed any interest in participating, they would have been welcomed.
Blimpy November 10, 2025 (5:33 pm)

I’m just a pro-transit Indy (so politically I have no horse in the race)… but having someone officially repping the Dems in attendance at what seems like it should be a nonpartisan event does come off as a bit strange, if not inappropriate. Seems like it’s inviting potential trouble or unnecessary appearance issues, unless I missed some steps along the way.

Jake November 10, 2025 (1:13 pm)

More talking and less doing. Can we get this built before costs get higher? Please start NOW.

Michael Sullivan November 10, 2025 (1:33 pm)

Agree. Tired of looking at all the empty businesses all along and adjacent to the potential routes just sitting in limbo until we at least know what and how this is all going to happen.
WSB November 10, 2025 (2:29 pm)

You’ll love the additional event announcement that just arrived – adding above but, various folks including a participant in this event (Transportation Choices Coalition) plan to have a Thursday media briefing kicking off a campaign they call “Build the Damn Trains.”
Ann Ott November 12, 2025 (3:57 pm)

Amen!
RossB November 13, 2025 (11:25 am)

No, we can’t (get this built). It costs too much. That is the problem. It would exceed the bond limit. They have to figure out a way to reduce costs (dramatically) to build anything. I suppose they could build something, but there really isn’t much point in building a light rail extension that doesn’t actually connect to anything. They want to build something useful.

KT November 10, 2025 (1:31 pm)

Blah, blah, blah …..

UB40 November 10, 2025 (6:23 pm)

Ka ching, ka-ching, ka-ching!

Karl M November 10, 2025 (2:41 pm)

Love the republican perspective from their de facto representative. Nothing for the people. We all feel the same way… LOL. Just drive your car, that is if you can afford a car and all the fuel, insurance and maintenance costs. Maybe we can get a 20 year finance option for these, it will totally save me money in the long run. My non-political response is please build the light rail ASAP. I would use it daily as I know may others would. More public transit NOW!

West Seattle Mom November 11, 2025 (6:01 am)

Oh so suddenly metro is non existent? You act as if different modes of transportation aren’t available such as uber, Lyft, Metro, lime bikes and scooters. It’s not the tax payers responsibility to fund your transportation to and from wherever you go.
- Jake November 11, 2025 (8:51 am)
  
  Actually it is arguably the best use of taxpayer dollars to supplement our fellow citizens to travel both to our work but also to local businesses. What an absurd and out of touch comment. We could say we don’t need to fund your roads and you can make your own roads?
- Bronson November 11, 2025 (2:56 pm)
  
  This is so dumb I don’t even know where to begin. It is the government’s responsibility to enable free movement and commerce with multi-modal transportation infrastructure, which is paid for by….you guessed it, taxpayer money. So yeah, it is your responsibility to fund infrastructure like the roads that I assume you drive on in your SOV given the perceived anti-transit bias of your response.

34districtLDvoter November 10, 2025 (2:45 pm)

It might be because the current Chair of 34th District Dems Jordan Crawley has a conflict of interest. His family owns the childcare facility Alki Academy that is due for imminent domain via the WS Light Rail Link. He has been very public with his concern and hopefully not using his capacity at 34 D Chair to leverage a deal with location of the link. https://westseattle.wschamber.com/list/member/alki-beach-academy-inc-6755 https://34dems.org/our-executive-board/

Mike November 11, 2025 (11:14 pm)

Sorry, what is the conflict of interest? Maybe I’m misunderstanding your point, but I looked some stuff up after reading your comment and can’t find anything anywhere about Jordan being against the project… Concerned about business impacts and a lack of transparency, sure, but what deal could someone even leverage in this situation? Sound Transit doesn’t seem to care about any business in particular. This seems more like a community-based organization supporting a conversation about a highly impactful project on our peninsula. Could also be that the hosts could’ve asked the Dems to sponsor..?

Joe Z November 10, 2025 (4:01 pm)

They are doing a redesign (again) — dropping the Avalon station, moving the tunnel portal to the self-storage north of Yancy, and trying to move the track to not bulldoze the WS Health Club and avoid Longfellow Creek impacts. Honestly it fixes a lot of the major complaints that people had and reduces cost. The only downside is that the Avalon Station would be permanently lost, it can’t be infilled later.

IDC9 November 11, 2025 (4:47 pm)

Perhaps Avalon could get daily, frequent, and dedicated bus routes to Downtown and the Junction as compensation for having to go without a light rail station? Are there any other places along the proposed route that Avalon could use dedicated bus service for if the light rail station isn’t built?

Aaron G November 10, 2025 (4:03 pm)

I’m looking forward to light rail coming to West Seattle.

Time for a compromise and get the train going! November 10, 2025 (4:15 pm)

We needed an 11th hour ‘grand compromise’ to get the 99 downtown tunnel done (at about 25% of the cost of this project). We need one here. The train doesn’t need to be tunneled. We don’t need to tear down Jefferson Square or a huge swath through our densest neighborhood. We do need a new bridge across the river and something close to the Junction. I’d love to see an elevated train that skirts the golf course lands at grade on 35th near the totem pole park. Or maybe a train that goes at street level down Fauntleroy through the triangle (like by the lumberyard that’s already proposed redevelopment). Then they could take all the money saved and give us a real West Seattle circulator bus system to bring everyone there to a revitalized hub of the peninsula. Not going all the way to the Junction saves billions. Not going underground saves billions. Not elevating saves billions and the neighborhood of the concrete monstrosities of elevated track. And I’m sure there are lots of other great ideas too. But the current plan is flawed and the need for a train is only more desperate. Let’s get this done.

Blimpy November 10, 2025 (5:23 pm)

Can’t figure out if this just an open house and panel discussion? Q&A from the audience? Any other opportunity to give feedback? The notice isn’t very clear. Anyone know how these things usually work?

WSB November 10, 2025 (5:42 pm)

There’s no “how these things usually work” as this kind of meeting hasn’t happened before. ST has had a lot of “forums” but they’re not organizing this one and are not currently in an official “comment” period for any part of the project. I asked CM Mosqueda’s office immediately after receiving this if there would be public comment/Q&A opportunity and am still waiting for the reply to that. Reading the announcement, I would bet not, because the emphasis is on “presentation” … and the reiteration that none of what will be presented is “official” … but I could be wrong. Will update when we get a reply. – TR

Michael Waldo November 10, 2025 (7:17 pm)

No light rail to West Seattle. 6 billions dollars!!!!! We can spent a whole lot less if we expand rapid ride buses from Seattle to downtown and to the light rail stations. Create bus lanes and enforce the no car laws. Save many West Seattle businesses.

Jake November 11, 2025 (7:56 am)

Not if we skip Avalon and build it right now… I want light rail here bad
- Ross November 11, 2025 (10:27 pm)
  
  Light rail is a joke and a money laundering scheme at best. Always massive cost over runs, new taxes, and a ridiculously long time line to completion… we absolutely do not need that mess in west Seattle. Buses are more than enough to serve this part of the city.
- RossB November 13, 2025 (11:34 am)
  
  Not if we skip Avalon and build it right now…Even if they managed to build West Seattle Link, it wouldn’t be done until 2032 at the earliest. But that would just be a line from West Seattle to SoDo. To take the train from West Seattle to downtown would have to wait until Ballard Link is completed. That isn’t supposed to be done until 2039. The year 2039 is not “now”. In contrast, we could add bus service by the end of the year. We could run a lot more buses to and from West Seattle. Building a connection from the Alaska Street Viaduct to the SoDo Busway wouldn’t take that long either (probably five years at most). Then the buses would connect to Link at SoDo and follow the busway to downtown. Unlike with West Seattle Link, riders coming from most of the peninsula (High Point, Alki, Admiral) would not have to transfer to go downtown. But they could still transfer to Link if they wanted to (at SoDo instead of in West Seattle).
  - WS Res November 13, 2025 (1:05 pm)
    
    “Even if they managed to build West Seattle Link, it wouldn’t be done until 2032 at the earliest. But that would just be a line from West Seattle to SoDo. To take the train from West Seattle to downtown would have to wait until Ballard Link is completed. That isn’t supposed to be done until 2039″ That’s not true because transfers are a thing on every transit system in the world. I was just in NYC for a week and sometimes took as many as TWO different trains and a bus, or THREE buses, to get somewhere!

Seasavvysailor November 10, 2025 (7:58 pm)

They should title this “West Seattle Mass Transit Visioning”. Simple fact is that people voted for solutions to connect West Seattle to the regional mass transit system not prescriptive WSLE.
There was a time when it theoretically made sense but the costs have ballooned, the ridership projections merit a re-interrogation and the final design does not connect most of a geographically dispersed West Seattle population.
There is just not enough density to support two of the most common metrics – cost per daily rider and cost per passenger mile.
I’ve got no problem with large government agencies when they have accountability and governance but Sound Transit is unfettered and has it already set in their mind to continue with light rail regardless of the cost and long term pain that may fall upon taxpayers for decades to come.
This is what happens when a transportation agency is run by a bunch of politicians – short sighted decisions so they can curry political favor for re-election or the next stepping stone.

pophouse November 12, 2025 (1:24 pm)

Good point we should also be having higher density in West Seattle
Winn November 14, 2025 (6:55 am)

I agree with one part: we should be increasing density in West Seattle! It’s long past time to get rid of SFH zoning so that West Seattle can have the kind of density to fully use the long overdue light rail extension.
- Actualperson November 14, 2025 (7:09 am)
  
  Winn. Describe “density” Do you really endorse bulldozing dozens of homes to build thousands of apartments? Is that the new shining light on the hill to never want to own a home but live in a dense apartment area forever?

Ross November 11, 2025 (10:29 pm)

Scrap the west seattle line…. its unnecessary and will be a massive waste of funds, cause a traffic nightmare, and be many years until completion….

pophouse November 12, 2025 (1:23 pm)

More forums from disingenous people who are clearly trying to derail the project to protect a vision of past Seattle that is long gone. We are a city and should act like it. People need trains to get where they need to go.

RossB November 13, 2025 (11:41 am)

The buses will always carry more riders in the city than the trains. The key is to build trains and runs buses where they can do the most good. West Seattle is very well suited for buses. There is major infrastructure than can be leveraged that would allow a bus to leave West Seattle and get to SoDo as quickly as a train would. At SoDo the bus would keep going (to downtown). By doing so, the vast majority of potential riders avoid a transfer. https://seattletransitblog.com/2024/06/07/west-seattle-by-bus-instead-of-light-rail/

Auntie Fava November 15, 2025 (7:34 am)

Hey you all – haven’t studied any of this beyond looking at the maps and reading the news, and I may be wrong. Have only been in WS a year, and have been blown away by the dreamy convenience of the Rapid Ride. Don’t ride light rail a lot, although sure, it’s cool. I’m anything but a Republican, would be happy to pay a lot more in taxes to get this thing going. Also, I support the sentiment that says build the damn thing, and run it for free – get the money from rich people. But wouldn’t the quality of my life – by which I mean, the health of the region I live in and the impact on people’s ability to use transit to get around the whole area, as well as climate and urban wild land interface impacts – be more improved by concentrating all the money necessary on getting the entire Everett to DuPont (or wherever, beyond Tacoma) rail spine completed first? Can’t Ballard and West Seattle (and the other stubs) be pretty well served by an expanded Rapid Ride system? Or am I just missing the point (which is possible)?

zoo.seres6z@icloud.com November 15, 2025 (1:31 pm)

Will there be genuine interaction with our community? Is this a participatory event where we can ask about the economic, societal and environmental impacts that concern us? Will West Seattle transportation, transit, and mobility needs be discussed? Or, will it be a typical Sound Transit event where they talk at us and present very vague (but glossy) design plans. I would like to ask some questions about this $9 billion WS to SODO ride we are paying for – the most expensive urban rail in the world to date, btw. Nine billion dollars could buy 9000 million-dollar electric buses. See you on the 24th! Pro-Transit Bus Rider

Gene Degeberg November 15, 2025 (5:19 pm)

Shouldn’t we prioritize bus service first? Thousands of West Seattleites have no access to public transportation. How will the residents from Lowman Beach along Beach Drive, all the way to Alki, even get to the Light Rail Station? There’s no bus service anywhere along this 5-mile stretch, yet 100’s of homes and apartment buildings line the street, so everyone must drive to Alki or up the Junction or to Admiral. Restore the buses first, worry about Light Rail later.

Sorry, comment time is over.