Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Neighbors and Sound Transit staff gathered Thursday night for a “neighborhood forum” at the Alki Masonic Center to talk about the West Seattle expansion of light rail, and what it means for the community.

It was a busy couple of days for light rail discussions. Earlier that same day, the ST Board gathered downtown for its regular meeting, focused on a discussion/briefing about the outcomes and effects of Initiative 976 (full WSB coverage here). The night before, ST held a neighborhood forum in downtown Seattle at the Central Library. Coming up the week after Thanksgiving, ST is holding additional forums in Chinatown-International District, Interbay/Ballard and right here in Delridge (info here).

The well-attended 2-hour forum began with an “open house” format, followed by a Sound Transit presentation and then an hour of individual table discussions. As attendees arrived, they were able to view informational materials and share input centered around two key questions: 1) What do you value about your community? and 2) How could a light rail station best serve your community?

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By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Just a few hours before tonight’s Sound Transit “neighborhood forum” in West Seattle (6 pm, Alki Masonic Center), the ST Board‘s regular meeting centered on a briefing/discussion about the effects of Initiative 976:

We were downtown for the meeting, which – after an occasionally raucous public-comment period – began with ST staffers briefing the board. First – “where we are” in terms of ST’s current timeline for expansion programs. If revenue were cut, the projects through 2024, the board was told, would be the “last places” they’d cut. But the projects starting with 2030 – projected opening date for the West Seattle extension – potentially different story.

General counsel Desmond Brown then opened with toplines on “what 976 says and does.” … “The provisions repealing our taxes do not take effect at this time,” but rather once $2.3 billion in outstanding bonds and debt are paid off – and it’s up to the board when those debts/bonds will be retired.
(Added – from the slide-deck printout, the relevant ballot-pamphlet language:)

The outstanding bond contracts provide for motor-vehicle-excise taxes and rental-car rates staying at the current rates until those are paid off. Brown said. He also noted that the initiative is now being challenged in court, and if it stands, there will probably be an ensuing lawsuit about when that debt has to be retired. Could ST be forced to retire it sooner? There’s legal precedent on that, Brown said.

CEO Peter Rogoff pointed out that other agencies “that feed passengers to Sound Transit” – such as Metro – are nonetheless facing “very serious” challenges because of 976. Other transit agencies face a “devastating” loss of revenue, and service to their users. “Sound Transit cares deeply about what happens to all our partners,” Rogoff said.

Chief Financial Officer Tracy Butler picked up from there. If the bonds were “defeased,” it would mean $7.2 billion less in revenue through 2041, and the agency could run out of “financial capacity as early as 2029” – which means ST could have to cancel or delay projects and/or reduce services.

But delaying wouldn’t be much of a solution, Butler said. Say, projects are delayed by five years – that could cost $6 billion more in capital costs, %16 billion in added interest through 2061, and could delay a “tax rollback” for 12 years, costing taxpayers $25 billion more in additional taxes through 2061 “to fund a delayed voter-approved program.”

Board chair John Marchione said the reason voters approved ST3 was a recognition that transit expansion was long overdue. “This is our region’s transportation catch-up plan” and the investments require a tax investment. “The only available sources are the sales tax, property tax, and MVET. Nobody loves writing a big check for (vehicle renewals)” but he believes voters spoke loudly with ST3 – and that was louder than the margin, in the ST district, spoke with 976:

After a closed-door executive session, the board emerged to discuss its “response to 976.” It was first announced that ST won’t take any of its own legal action right now – they have to keep reviewing the “legal issues” and monitoring the other litigation. So individual board members were invited to speak. Only two did, neither from Seattle/King County. The first warned that the board had best not just focus on its “district” but should pay attention to the “frustration” elsewhere in the region and state. And he said the valuation discrepancy that led to the taxation rate made that frustration worse. “We have got to get this resolved – people need to believe they’re paying car tabs based on an accurate valuation of their vehicle.” Another board member said it’s important to keep the pressure on the Legislature.

So bottom line remains “too soon to say” what happens next, but there’s a chance West Seattle light rail could be delayed or even canceled as part of a worst-case scenario.

Earlier in the meeting:

PUBLIC COMMENT: In this section of the meeting, before the 976 discussion, Youngstown property owner Dennis Noland spoke first, thanking the board for agreeing to include the Andover/Yancy alternative in environmental studies. He was followed by Tim Eyman, author of 976, who called his initiative an “overwhelming repudiation” of ST. “People outside Seattle have no voice any more.” Eyman then declared he was running for governor next year and at that point got booted from the microphone, with an explanation that “campaigning” isn’t allowed. Someone briefly chanted “let him talk” while someone counter-chanted “No campaigning.” … Other speakers were both pro and con 976. Two speakers in particular called out the effects that 976 could have on people with disabilities.

TONIGHT’S MEETING: Again, if you see this before 6 pm, that’s when ST’s West Seattle “neighborhood forum” begins – all welcome – Alki Masonic Center, 4736 40th SW.

ADDED: Post-board meeting, ST published this statement from board chair Marchione.

The flyer from Sound Transit shows the next location their crew will be drilling for soil testing – 22nd SW on Pigeon Point. The flyer shows a map of the location, where work could start as soon as Wednesday. In the meantime, they’re working further east. Also a reminder that Sound Transit has a neighborhood-forum meeting coming up in West Seattle, 6 pm November 21st at the Alki Masonic Center (4736 40th SW).

While Sound Transit continues environmental work – including soil sampling on Harbor Island (thanks to those who have sent photos recently, including the one above) – they’re also continuing community conversation about West Seattle light rail. Next step: Two “neighborhood forums” just announced. ST says these are “to learn more about the alternatives we’ll be studying in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, what happens next in the environmental review process and how you can stay engaged” as well as “opportunities to participate in small group activities to discuss how the vision and values of your neighborhood relate to future light rail stations.” The dates/locations:

November 21

Station areas include Delridge, Avalon and Alaska Junction

Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 | 6 – 8 p.m.
Alki Masonic Center, 4736 40th Avenue SW

****

December 7

Delridge station only

Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Delridge Community Center (Gym), 4501 Delridge Way SW, Seattle

This event focuses on the Delridge station and builds upon the community engagement and collaboration approach outlined in the Racial Equity Toolkit. Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters will be available.

Before these, the ST Board is due to decide this Thursday (1:30 pm October 24, downtown boardroom) whether the environmental studies will include either or both of two additional West Seattle alternatives, Yancy/Andover Elevated and Pigeon Point Tunnel. As reported here earlier this month, a board committee recommended including the former and leaving it up to the full board to discuss the latter.

The yellow dots on that map mark locations at the office/marina complex on the south end of Harbor Island [map] where soil sampling is about to start as Sound Transit continues studying potential routes for West Seattle light rail. The full flyer is here (PDF). It says that once sampling starts – as soon as tomorrow – “Work … will occur during nights, from 6:00 pm – 7:00 am. Each boring will take approximately 5-7 days and will be filled and patched with a flush-mounted monument surface when work is complete.” The drilling will all be done in parking lots/driveways, ST says.

SIDE NOTE: If you have questions about this or any other aspect of West Seattle light-rail planning, a reminder – ST reps are on the agenda at tonight’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting. And two upcoming ST board meetings will determine whether two West Seattle options are included in environmental studies – the System Expansion Committee this Thursday, and the full board on October 24th.

Got a question or comment about the latest information on West Seattle light-rail planning, the “initial assessments” of two more options that might be added to the first round of environmental studies? (Here’s our coverage from earlier this month.) You can talk with Sound Transit reps right now, as they are boothing at today’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market (until 2 pm). The ST Board will decide next month whether to study either or both, a required step toward any further consideration. Until next Friday (October 4th), you can review the alternatives and comment via this “online open house” – choose the tabs for Yancy/Andover Elevated and Pigeon Point Tunnel.

As we reported Thursday, Sound Transit has gone public with “assessments” of potential light-rail options, including two for the West Seattle extension. It’ll be up to the Sound Transit Board to decide whether to include either or both in studies for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the next of 3 more steps before they finalize the route “alignment” in 2022. Before that board vote in October, they’re also taking public comment – you can do that (and review the new info) by going here. Deadline: October 4th.

P.S. If you have questions, you can also talk to ST reps in person at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on September 29th.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The Sound Transit Board‘s System Expansion Committee has just gotten its first briefing on the “initial assessment” of four more West Seattle-to-Ballard light-rail options that might be included in environmental studies.

The committee and full board won’t make their decisions until next month, and starting tomorrow, you’ll get to have your say via an “online open house.”

But first – here’s what’s on the table. Keep in mind, these are IN ADDITION TO what the ST Board already sent into environmental studies. Two of the additional options, Yancy-Andover Elevated and Pigeon Point Tunnel (which also would include a Junction tunnel), are at the start of the slide deck (here in PDF, and below):

We had a chance to ask questions at a pre-meeting media briefing at ST HQ downtown. Toplines from that briefing, led by executive corridor director Cathal Ridge and project development director Sandra Fann, who also briefed the board this afternoon:

These options were assessed with the same criteria applied to the other options in the final review period (“Level 3”) that ended back in May.

One notable point – both of these alternatives would largely spare the Youngstown-area homes in North Delridge that otherwise might be taken out. (The only West Seattleite to speak in the public comment period before this afternoon’s committee meeting was Youngstown-area homeowner Dennis Noland, who has been advocating for saving his neighborhood.)

The Yancy/Andover Elevated option would cross the Duwamish River south of the West Seattle Bridge, would have a Delridge station north of Andover – similar to the original ST proposal – and would connect to an elevated Avalon station. (That still could then connect to a Junction-bound tunnel, it was clarified at this afternoon’s meeting.)

Drawbacks include that the Delridge station location would be “harder for buses to get to.” While the overall effect on residential property would be less than what’s already going into studies, it would affect the Avalon area more.

Its cost would be similar to what’s already budgeted.

The Pigeon Point Tunnel option’s major drawback is the cost – estimated at $200 million, plus you have to factor in another $700 million for the Junction tunnel to which it would connect. The financial estimates, however, aren’t any more detailed than what was listed earlier in the process, ST reps say.

They also noted in today’s briefing that the Junction tunnel would add time to the process. “Years, not months,” Ridge replied to our request for clarification. So if a Junction tunnel is chosen, light rail will not be opening in 2030.

As for that extra money, a commitment would have to be nailed down from the unspecified “third party”(/ies) by mid-2022, when environmental studies end and the ST Board will have to decide what to build.

There’s also a chance that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement’s schedule – to be ready by the end o next year – will take longer if the board decides to add any or all of these extra possibilities to the environmental studies.

Again, the board committee just got briefed this afternoon; most of the public comment was about the SODO option that (along with another Ballard tunnel option) is also being reviewed for adding to studies.

WHAT’S NEXT: Watch for this info to go online in “open house” format for your comments tomorrow through October 4th. The full ST Board will be briefed at its September 26th meeting; the System Expansion Committee then gets to have its say October 10th, with the full board’s final decision “to study or not to study” any or all of these options October 24th.

It’s been 3 1/2 months since Sound Transit‘s West Seattle-to-Ballard light-rail planning entered a new phase, with the ST Board finalizing what the Draft Environmental Impact Statement should include. The board also told ST staff to look at some other options – and those assessments are about to go public, ST has announced, specifically these assessments of these possibilities:

*Elevating the new and existing light rail lines in SODO
*Refinement of the Pigeon Ridge Tunnel route with a refined Duwamish crossing, tunnel through Pigeon Point and further south Delridge station
*Route along Yancy/Andover corridor, with a Delridge station serving Youngstown
*Tunnel route with tunnel station at 20th Ave NW in Ballard

That description is from an ST message to former Stakeholder Advisory Group members, which adds:

We plan to have evaluation results for these initial assessment alternatives in mid-September and anticipate sharing those results with the Sound Transit Board at the Sept. 12th System Expansion Committee meeting and the public at that time. We are targeting October for Sound Transit Board review and potential action.

The committee meets 1:30-4 pm next Thursday at the ST boardroom downtown (401 S. Jackson) – here’s the agenda (PDF).

Earlier, we published a reminder that the Sound Transit Board meets tomorrow afternoon downtown to decide which West Seattle-to-Ballard light-rail routing/station-location proposals should go into environmental studies. As you might recall from our coverage of the board’s System Expansion Committee meeting two weeks ago, there was some disagreement about whether to designate “preferred alternatives” at all for parts of the line, including The Junction. Tonight, at least two proposals some board members are circulating would propose these “preferred alternative” (without and with extra $) for The Junction and vicinity:

West Seattle (Avalon / and Junction)
Preferred Alternative
 Elevated stations – Avalon station in vicinity of SW Genesee Street, SW Avalon Way and 35th Avenue SW. Turns southwest on Fauntleroy Way SW with elevated Alaska Junction station options oriented north/south and staying east of the Alaska Junction on Fauntleroy and in the vicinity of 41st /42nd Avenue SW. (To be determined)

Preferred Alternative with Third Party Funding
 Tunnel station – Avalon station in vicinity of SW Genesee Street, SW Avalon Way and 35th Avenue SW. Turns southwest with tunnel Alaska Junction station options oriented north-south in the vicinity of 41st Avenue SW and 42nd Avenue SW. Based on current information, these alternatives would require additional third-party funding. (To be determined)

The proposals – all by board members from outside Seattle – include concern that waiting until after environmental studies to determine these (and some other) “preferred alternatives” could add a year and a half to the timeline. (They were forwarded to West Seattle community advocates by a representative from the office of Mayor Jenny Durkan, who is an ST board member.) Again, as detailed in our preview earlier, the meeting is 1:30-5 pm Thursday at the downtown board room (401 S. Jackson), with a public-comment period toward the start.

Just an early reminder in case you want to be there (or watch via streaming) – tomorrow’s the day the Sound Transit Board will cap the first year and a half of West Seattle-to-Ballard light-rail planning by deciding the potential routing/station locations that will go into environmental studies. Here’s the agenda for the meeting – which includes a public-comment period toward the start – 1:30-5 pm at ST’s board room downtown (401 S. Jackson). Here’s the ST document with the framework of the motion, recapping what the board’s System Expansion Committee recommended two weeks ago (WSB coverage here). If they follow the committee’s recommendations, the major undecided item is what – if anything – to identify as a “preferred alternative” for The Junction. Whatever the board decides, a year-plus of studies will follow before a Draft Environmental Impact Statement is released for public comment toward the end of next year. A final routing decision is a few steps beyond that.

(Sound Transit video of today’s entire committee meeting. WS-Ballard briefing/discussion starts at 1 hour, 50 minutes in)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Today brought the last stop for West Seattle to Ballard light-rail before a key Sound Transit Board vote to decide which routing/station locations will go into environmental studies.

But the board’s System Expansion Committee declined to recommend a complete “preferred alternative” routing/station-location plan, after hearing opposing opinions on whether to do so at all.

Before the committee’s vote late today – near the end of a 4-hour meeting with other major agenda items – it heard those opinions from two ST board members who are not committee members. Phoning in from an overseas trip, King County Councilmember Joe McDermott (a West Seattle resident) advocated for not identifying a preferred alternative, saying there’s just not enough information. Meantime, committee chair King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci read email from board member Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers insisting that a preferred alternative must be identified and that environmental studies should not include options discarded in the first two levels of advisory-group review – such as the so-called “purple line,” a two-tunnel West Seattle plan that the Stakeholder Advisory Group wanted to keep but the Elected Leadership Group did not. ST staff’s very preliminary estimates suggested it could require more than $1 billion “third-party funding,” but various meetings have included some suggestions that panicking over price tags should wait until more design/engineering work has been done.

Before we get into what preceded that, here’s what the committee gave its blessing to – the West Seattle language from the motion that members approved:

West Seattle (Avalon/Junction)
Preferred alternative (To be determined)
Potential preferred alternative (To be determined)
Other DEIS alternative (To be determined)

West Seattle (Delridge)
Preferred alternative
N of Genesee station – Elevated guideway runs south adjacent to Delridge Way SW to an elevated Delridge station on a diagonal between Delridge Way SW and 26th Avenue SW north of SW Genesee Street. Continues west on an elevated guideway along SW Genesee Street.

Additionally, the Board directs staff to explore refining the Delridge station location, prioritizing a further south location and looking for opportunities to minimize potential residential impacts, create a high quality transfer environment, optimize TOD potential and reduce costs.

Other DEIS alternatives
S of Andover station – Elevated guideway follows Delridge Way SW south to an elevated Delridge station south of SW Andover Street. Continues south along Delridge Way SW and then runs west along SW Genesee Street.

The Board directs staff to conduct an initial assessment of the following alternatives, which were suggested during the scoping period, to establish whether further detailed study in the Draft EIS is appropriate:

Yancy/Andover alignment – An alignment along the Yancy/Andover corridor with a Delridge Station serving Youngstown.

Pigeon Point Tunnel – A refinement of the Pigeon Ridge Tunnel alignment that was previously evaluated in Level 1 and Level 2 screening. This alignment would include a refined Duwamish crossing location that includes a tunnel through Pigeon Point with a further south Delridge station location.

The assessment and recommendation for further study shall be brought back to the Sound Transit Board for review and potential action.

Duwamish Crossing
Preferred alternative
South crossing – Elevated guideway crosses over the Spokane Street Viaduct, curves west and parallels the West Seattle Bridge on the south side. Crosses over the Duwamish Waterway on a high-level fixed bridge on the south side of the existing bridge, then rounds Pigeon Point and heads south along Delridge Way SW.
Other DEIS alternatives
North crossing – Elevated guideway curves west and parallels the existing West Seattle Bridge on the north side. Spans the Duwamish Waterway on a high-level, fixed bridge on the north side of the existing bridge, then crosses over the West Seattle bridge ramp, passes over the Nucor Steel property and runs south along Delridge Way SW.

The Board directs staff to conduct an initial assessment of the following alternative, which was suggested during the scoping period, to establish whether further detailed study in the Draft EIS is appropriate:
Pigeon Point Tunnel – A refinement of the Pigeon Ridge Tunnel alignment that was previously evaluated in Level 1 and Level 2 screening. This alignment would include a refined Duwamish crossing location that includes a tunnel through Pigeon Point with a further south Delridge station location.
The assessment and recommendation for further study shall be brought back to the Sound Transit Board for review and potential action.

Here’s the full motion (PDF), including other sections of the West Seattle to Ballard extension. Now, what preceded it:

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Tomorrow afternoon (Thursday, May 9th) is the next stop along the way to the >Sound Transit Board‘s decision on which potential routing/station locations to send to environmental studies for the West Seattle to Ballard extension. This follows the advisory Elected Leadership Group‘s recommendations two weeks ago:

Tomorrow’s 1:30-5 pm meeting of the ST System Expansion Committee is at the ST board room downtown (401 S. Jackson). As shown on the agenda, this is just one of 10 items going before the committee tomorrow. But the meeting does have a public-comment period toward the start, if there’s something you’d like committee members (here’s the roster) to know. Whatever they recommend, the full ST Board (here’s the roster) has the final say in two weeks (May 23rd).

(Added Monday: ST-created slide summarizing what ELG recommends – from this PDF doc)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Though County Councilmember Joe McDermott reiterated “This is just the beginning” of the West Seattle to Ballard Sound Transit light-rail planning process, Friday’s meeting of the Elected Leadership Group that he co-chaired was part of the end of the opening act of that process.

It comes after almost a year and a half of meetings, including the one on Friday, as well as a variety of public engagement and feedback that all wraps up with two meetings next month that are to result in the Sound Transit Board officially deciding what routing/station possibilities should be studied for the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Five of the 11 ELG members (roster here) are also on the ST Board (roster here) – McDermott, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, plus Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez (replacing recently resigned CM Rob Johnson). Before the board makes a final “what to study” decision at its May 23rd meeting (1:30 pm, ST board room downtown), its System Expansion Committee – which has no ELG membership overlap – will talk about the project at its May 9th (1:30 pm, ST board room)

On Friday, co-chair City Councilmember Mike O’Brien remarked that “it seems like yesterday” when the ELG first met 16 months ago (WSB coverage here).

ST CEO Peter Rogoff reiterated that the ELG decisions, and those to be made by the ST Board next month, are not decisions about what to be built, but “alternatives to be studied.”

In the 2-plus hours that followed, one other major issue came up repeatedly – money. But first, the ELG’s final meeting began with public comment, which ran for about half an hour and starts at nine minutes into our first clip (following introductory discussion):

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