After strong support from the public and the project community advisory group, Sound Transit has expanded the scope for Everett Link to study alignments along SR 99 and I-5. But now the project’s elected leadership group may override the community will.

Tell the Everett Link Elected Leadership Group to keep studying the SR 99 and I-5 alignments.

These new alignments present a unique opportunity to serve natural ridership and speed up connections between community destinations north and south. Many more residents would have access to high quality transit if some version of those alignments are selected and additional stations are developed. This would heavily benefit transit-dependent communities in South Everett, present additional opportunities for growth of transit-oriented districts, and tame long-standing harmful facilities like SR 99.

For years, elected officials have tried to foist the Paine Field deviation on the community. The deviation has always been a questionable policy choice, adding up to 7 minutes to Link trips, serving an inherently anti-transit suburban industrial district with a relatively stagnate job base, and adding significant cost and delay to project delivery. Because of the suburban orientation of the Paine Field area, only about 2,050 people use transit on the average weekday despite very good bus rapid transit and local bus service and that unfortunately will not substantially change even if the airport expands over the next two decades (which itself is not a sure thing).

Sound Transit and policymakers have the chance to study a range of alternatives that better serve the South Everett community and region. Those alternatives are centered in the zone of SR 99 and I-5 with a more direct Link alignment and more stations and added bus service in the area. A future project phase could include a short Link spur to directly serve the airport if there is ever demand for it.

Weigh in to let Sound Transit and policymakers know that they can deliver a better and faster Everett Link project to South Everett and Snohomish County residents.