Sound Transit: Study an Affordable Everett Link Extension
Sound Transit
Sound Transit estimates that the extension of Everett Link from Mariner Station to Downtown Everett will cost $600 million more than was budgeted in the ST3 ballot measure. In case funding is not found, rather than delaying the project, we urge Sound Transit to have a back-up route that is inherently more affordable.
We believe an I-5 alignment will save $1 to $1.5 billion for the project, and that it will have a higher ridership and do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You can read more about this proposal on The Urbanist.
We call on Sound Transit to add this I-5 light rail alignment, with new bus rapid transit between Seaway Transit Center and Everett Station, to its alignments to study for the future Everett Link Extension.
To:
Sound Transit
From:
[Your Name]
We call on Sound Transit to study an I-5 alignment for the Everett Link light rail extension that follows I-5 and adds a station at Everett Mall.
To improve transit service to Casino Road residents and to serve Boeing and Paine Field, the Swift Green Line Bus should be enhanced and extended from Seaway Transit Center to Everett Mall. Alternatively, a new Sound Transit Stride line could be added to serve this area.
With light rail along I-5 and improved bus service to Casino Road, the Everett Link project will be less expensive, get built on time, have higher ridership, and do more to address climate change.
With a $600 million budget gap for the extension of Everett Link from Mariner Station to Downtown Everett, it is incumbent upon Sound Transit to study this option that could save $1 to $1.5 billion dollars while also actually being an improvement to the transit system.