Mostly we are worried about building this right, but we canвЂ™t dismiss costs, especially since some high-ticket items will require third-party funding, which could be difficult to secure. Cost is an important factor, but we shouldnвЂ™t shy away from big investments where there is a high return.The priority in mitigating construction impacts should start with prioritizing pedestrian access, transit operations, and bike routes. Closing a busy road for a few years is a small price to pay to add a light rail line that will last centuries. Construction-related road closures weigh heavy on the mind of policymakers, but it is crucial we pick the right station for the future of Seattle and grapple with the construction impacts that entails. Construction impacts are important but shouldnвЂ™t solely determine a 100-year investment.Alternatives more favorable to TOD have an edge and they will help the system attract more riders down the road by allowing more people to live in close proximity to light rail. Sound Transit has an Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) program that has aided in the construction of hundreds of affordable homes on the agencyвЂ™s surplus properties. A station isnвЂ™t just a transit stop, it can be a catalyst for neighborhood development and housing growth, both market-rate and affordable. Station locations should unlock transit-oriented development (TOD) opportunities to the highest extent possible.Planning with expandability in mind could save billions of dollars and numerous headaches down the road. Meanwhile, a future Aurora rail line may link up with the new Downtown light rail tunnel near South Lake Union Station. Likewise, Ballard should not be the northern terminus long as the line extends north to Greenwood and perhaps east to Wallingford and the University District. Ideally, West Seattle Junction will not be the southern terminus long as the line extends south to White Center and Burien. Design the system to be easy to expand.Preliminary ridership projections arenвЂ™t the be-all end-all, but all things being equal, the station alignment projected to get higher ridership does have a leg up. Still, even the most elegant station will struggle for riders if itвЂ™s in the middle of nowhere, with few homes, jobs, activity centers, or transit connections nearby. Design a good rider experience and ridership should follow. Build the system to maximize ridership.Transferring between transit lines should also be quick and easy, especially at the major transfer points at Westlake Station and International District/Chinatown Station. Traveling between the station platform and the surface should be quick, straightforward, and reliable.

First and foremost, design the system for transit riders and the optimal rider experience.But before we do, first some guiding principles to understand what animates our advocacy and why we favor the options that we do. This article will lay out the major decision points and how The Urbanist is leaning at this point. As the process advances, the Sound Transit Board will approve the final alignments for West Seattle and Ballard Link extensions, which is a 100-year decision that will impact the Seattle region for generations to come. Based on feedback gathered during the public comment period, the Sound Transit Board may make further cuts or alterations to the remaining alternatives and staff will set to work on the Final EIS, which will set the parameters of the light rail route and construction plan.

Uw light rail route