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Sound Transit Board approves 2016 budget with focus on rail system expansions

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Major project openings, Sound Transit 3 ballot measure coming in 2016

The Sound Transit Board today approved a $1.2 billion 2016 budget that provides $802.9 million in light rail and other system expansions.

“Our region’s commuters will see historic progress in 2016,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. “We will open light rail extensions to Capitol Hill, the UW and Angle Lake and successfully complete our tunneling between Northgate and UW. In November, the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure will allow the region to vote on further light rail extensions to places like Everett, Tacoma, downtown Redmond, Ballard and West Seattle.”

Project funding in the 2016 budget includes:

  • $40 million to complete station construction, systems installation and testing for the University Link project opening in early 2016
  • $23 million to complete elevated station and guideway, and 1,050-stall parking garage, construction for the South 200th Link project opening fall 2016
  • $165 million for Northgate Link construction
  • $203 million for East Link final design and start of tunneling and construction
  • $70 million to complete preliminary engineering and begin final design for Lynnwood Link
  • $44 million to complete final design and begin constructing the Tacoma Trestle
  • $22 million to complete Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) work on the Federal Way Link Extension and begin preliminary engineering to Kent/Des Moines
  • $11 million to complete final design and start construction of an expanded Sounder layover facility in Lakewood that will accommodate added south line service by 2017
  • $9 million to purchase new coaches for expanded Sounder service to Lakewood
  • $11 million to expand the Link light rail fleet
  • $75 million for the I-90 Two-Way Transit & HOV Operations project to upgrade fire safety components of the outer tunnels
  • $49 million to fund the Operations and Maintenance Satellite Facility
  • $7 million for the Tacoma Link extension

In response to strong support for continued expansion of regional mass transit services, the Sound Transit Board will shape a package for a Sound Transit 3 ballot measure that voters will consider next November. A draft package is scheduled to be released for public review in early 2016. Information on the candidate projects being considered is available at soundtransit3.org.