Senator Patty Murray tours the 148th Light Rail Station site and announces federal funding for 148th St Pedestrian Bridge

Sen. Patty Murray at podium. L-R Deputy Mayor Laura Mork, Shoreline Public Works Director Tricia Juhnke, Mayor Chris Roberts, King County Executive Dow Constantine, in the parking garage for the 148th Light Rail station. View to the west. Photo by Steven H. Robinson

By Oliver Moffat

On Valentine’s Day afternoon, Senator Patty Murray took some time to tour the construction site of the 148th Street light-rail station with King County Executive Dow Constantine, Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts and Deputy Mayor Laura Mork.

Standing at a podium in the new 500-car parking garage with the roar of midday I-5 traffic behind her, Murray said, “a light rail station does no good if you’re stuck on the other side of a busy highway.”

A view from the city’s website of the light rail tracks, and future bridge, and east landing looking west across I-5.

Nearby, construction workers were busy drilling shafts into the ground that will hold the footings of the east-side landing of the 148th St bike and pedestrian bridge. Crews are working to complete construction of the 148th St bridge before WSDOT begins a project to daylight Thornton creek on the west side of I-5.

Deputy Mayor Mork, Mayor Roberts, Sen. Murray

The 148th St bridge will provide a safe path to the light rail station for the future residents of the 1,605 new homes coming soon in the south Parkwood neighborhood including 151 “missing middle” townhomes and 296 affordable apartments.

With an estimated price tag of $43.6M, the bridge will be funded with grants from the Washington Department of Transportation, Sound Transit, King County, Transportation Impact Fees, and (the reason why Murray came by to visit) a $20M federal RAISE grant.

Sen. Patty Murray with Sound Transit, city of Shoreline and King county electeds and staff in the under construction 148th Street parking garage for the Lynnwood Link light rail station. The pedestrian bridge will cross I-5 next to the cell phone tower in the background.
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Senator Murray, who has served in the Senate for over 30 years and is now president pro tem, established the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program in 2009. As every Shoreliner knows, Murray won her first election to the Shoreline school board in the 1980s and now chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The ripe smell of fresh mulch wafted in the air from crews who were busy planting some of the 864 new trees that will replace the 317 existing trees that have been removed to make way for the 145th street projects.

Mayor Chris Roberts presented Senator Murray with a
Valentine’s Day cookie reading “Shoreline ♥️ Patty”
Photo by Oliver Moffat

In remarks, Mayor Chris Roberts pointed out that (unlike some cities in North King County) Shoreline has embraced the task of building affordable housing to address the region’s housing crisis. 

He said he is proud that the new developments near Shoreline’s light-rail stations have mandatory affordability requirements.

In addition to the bicycle and pedestrian bridge across I-5, the money from the RAISE grant will be used to pay for new sidewalks and roundabouts on 145th and a network of bike lanes in the Parkwood neighborhood - safety improvements that are urgently needed for the dangerously outdated 145th street corridor.

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Shoreline police officer Jurado transfers to Sound Transit

Officer Jurado

From the Shoreline Police

After three incredible years of dedicated service in Shoreline, we bid farewell to Officer Jurado. 

Throughout his time with us, Officer Jurado has shown exceptional kindness, strong work ethic, empathy and dedication. 

He has been an invaluable member of our team, and we are sad to see him go. 

However, we are excited for the new chapter that awaits him at Sound Transit as a K-9 handler!

As he embarks on this new adventure, we wish Officer Jurado all the success and happiness in the world. We have no doubt that he will excel in his new role and continue to make a positive difference.

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Night closure of northbound I-5 King County Metro off-ramp and SR-104 off-ramp

On Tuesday, January 16, 2024 Sound Transit will close the northbound I-5 King County Metro off-ramp at NE 159th St and the northbound I-5 off-ramp to SR-104 (NE 205th) for barrier placement work. 

This work is part of the Lynnwood Link Extension.

Detour route is in place for drivers (see maps). 

Crews will work at night to minimize effects on traffic.

Residents should expect construction noise at night.

Some bus routes may be affected. Check the King County Metro website for details.

Northbound I-5 off-ramp to SR-104 (NE 205th)

• Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 9pm to 5am the following morning.
  
  
  

Northbound I-5 King County Metro off-ramp

• Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 10pm to 4am the following morning.

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Sound Transit Board approves Goran Sparrman's appointment as interim CEO

Goran Sparrman appointed interim CEO
for Sound Transit

The Sound Transit Board of Directors today approved the one-year appointment of Goran Sparrman as the agency’s interim CEO.

"In the next nine months, we will expand Link light rail at a scale never before seen at the agency, and we’re excited to have Goran’s skillset and background leading the way," said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. 

"This is ambitious, exciting and, of course, daunting. The Board believes in Goran’s ability to lead the agency through this transformative period of growth while continuing to focus on delivering reliable, frequent, and safe transit service for all our passengers."

"I am looking forward to joining with the dedicated professionals at Sound Transit to celebrate the upcoming successes and tackle the challenges ahead," said Sparrman. "By working together creatively and efficiently, I am confident that we will be able to deliver for the residents of our region."

Sparrman’s first day at the agency will be January 13, 2024. Departing CEO Julie Timm’s last day at the agency is January 12. Timm announced her resignation last month in order to return to the East Coast to take care of family matters.

Sound Transit builds and operates regional transit services for growing urban areas of Washington’s Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties. The region is home to more than 50 cities and more than 40 percent of the state’s residents, who have authorized the most ambitious transit expansions in the nation. 

This year, Sound Transit will open light rail extensions to Lynnwood and from South Bellevue to Redmond Technology Center. The system is the first nationally to operate entirely on carbon-free electricity.

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Link light rail passengers need to prepare for Link service disruptions from January 13 to February 4

Link Light Rail photo courtesy Sound Transit

Link light rail passengers should prepare for three weeks of disruptions starting Saturday, January 13, 2024 as Sound Transit undertakes several projects to improve service.

Starting Saturday, January 13, through the end of service on Sunday, February 4:

• On weekdays, 1 Line trains will run only every 26 minutes between Northgate and Angle Lake. Additional weekday trains will run between Northgate–University of Washington, and between Stadium–Angle Lake, for combined service every 13 minutes in these areas.
• On weekends during this period, trains will run every 15 minutes between Northgate–Capitol Hill and between SODO–Angle Lake. Bus shuttles every 10-15 minutes will replace trains between Capitol Hill–SODO and serve all closed stations.

During weekdays, passengers who board at stations outside of Capitol Hill or downtown Seattle will need to stay alert to which train they choose. Half of the trains will serve all stations along the 1 Line, while the other half will terminate at either University of Washington or Stadium stations. 

If your destination is downtown or Capitol Hill, you may wait for the full-service train, or ride the additional service train to UW or Stadium stations, and then wait 13 minutes to transfer to the next train that goes all the way through.

The work is essential to improve the state of the system and prepare for the growth that is coming later this year and beyond. By scheduling these projects during the time of year when ridership is at its lowest, the hope is to limit impact on riders. Staff will be at stations throughout the disruption to answer questions and help passengers get to their destinations.

Making necessary repairs

The four downtown Seattle stations — Westlake, University Street, Pioneer Square, and Int’l Dist./Chinatown — are nearly 20 years older than the Link system itself. 

They opened for bus operations in 1990, and they were built to accommodate both buses and trains at the same time. This legacy of bus operations required design decisions that continue to make repairs to these stations much more disruptive than our more recently built stations.

For example, because buses and trains ran together in the tunnel between 2009 and 2019, Sound Transit embedded the rails into the tunnel roadway, rather than on top, as they are in all our other tunnel stations. As a result, replacing any rails in those stations requires substantial demolition and rebuilding work.

During this disruption, they will be completing two major projects at the same time: They will replace 500 feet of northbound track between University Street and Westlake at the sharpest curve in the entire Link system. These rails are worn and have made for a bumpy ride for passengers for years. Without replacement, the worn rails will eventually become a safety hazard.

They will replace 58 “bond boxes,” which provide signal connections to the tracks. All of these are located in between the rails. These bond boxes were progressively damaged by buses between 2009 and 2019, leading to occasional signal failures and train delays. Replacing the bond boxes requires that no trains run through those sections until replacement is complete.

Besides providing staff ambassadors at stations during the disruption period to assist passengers, Sound Transit has a webpage dedicated to the upcoming service disruption, which includes station-specific information. The agency has also published tips for riders as they prepare for the upcoming disruption.

Passengers can access PDFs of train schedules for this period on line.

Through the service disruption, the agency will continue to provide additional information to passengers to help them navigate the changes to their ride.

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Workers busy planting thousands of trees along light rail extension

Young Western Red-Cedars, Douglas Firs, and Incense Cedars await planting near the I-5 pedestrian overpass at 185th St - Photo by Oliver Moffat

By Oliver Moffat

Workers are busy planting trees along the Light Rail line in Shoreline. Sound Transit is landscaping as they finish the tracks by planting some of our region’s best known and most beloved native trees including Western Red-Cedar, Incense Cedar, and (of course) Douglas Fir.

A young Western Red-Cedar is ready to be lifted into position for planting near the I-5 pedestrian overpass at 185th St. Photo by Oliver Moffat

According to a worker on site, it’s a tricky job getting the young trees into place and involves hoisting with a fork lift.

As part of the Lynnwood Link Extension tree replacement program Sound Transit is planting thousands more trees than have been removed for the project.

So far they’ve planted thousands of trees along the five miles of track between the Northgate Station and the 185th street pedestrian bridge over I-5. 

Sound Transits website shows the scope of the number of replacement trees to be planted. 

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Sounder trains available for NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park January 1, 2024

Sound Transit train
Photo courtesy Sound Transit

Seattle sports fans can score a hat trick on travel time, parking, and gas by taking Sound Transit’s popular Sounder trains to the NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park, featuring the Seattle Kraken hosting the Las Vegas Golden Knights, on New Year’s Day 2024. 

Special Sounder service is in addition to New Year’s Day Link light rail, ST Express, and King County Metro service to and from Lumen Field.

The special service will be available Monday, January 1, 2024 for the 12:00pm faceoff of the NHL Winter Classic.

The inbound N Line train from Snohomish County departs Everett at 9:45am with stops in Mukilteo and Edmonds, arriving at King Street Station at 10:44am.

The return train for the N Line in the direction of Everett departs King Street Station approximately 45 minutes after the end of the game.

An online schedule of the Sounder trains to NHL Winter Classic are available here

More holiday schedule information is available here Link light rail runs every 10 minutes on New Year’s Day and serves 19 stations including Northgate, Roosevelt, University District, University of Washington, Capitol Hill, downtown Seattle, and SODO. Link’s Stadium and International District stations are a short walk from the stadium.

Many ST Express and King County Metro buses also drop off passengers near the stadium. Link and ST Express bus schedules are available here. King County Metro bus schedules can be found here.

Regular fares apply for all Sound Transit services. Rail riders can avoid the post-game ticket vending machine lines by purchasing a Day Pass at their originating station. One-way tickets and Day Passes can also be purchased with the Transit GO Ticket app.

Another way to skip lines at ticket vending machines is by getting an ORCA card. Cards only cost $3 for adults, plus whatever amount a rider chooses to load in the card’s E-purse or the cost of a pass that is good for unlimited transit trips.

ORCA LIFT fares are available for low-income adult passengers. Regional Reduced Fare permit holders are seniors age 65+ and riders with disabilities.

ORCA works on trains, buses, and ferries throughout the region. More information is available here.

A few additional reminders for a smoother trip:

• Riders using an ORCA card should remember to tap on and off at Sounder and Link stations.
• Parking is available at all Sounder stations, as well as the Northgate Link light rail stations.

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Sound Transit moves to flat Link light rail fares and boosts rate for fall 2024

Photo courtesy Sound Transit

The Sound Transit Board has approved a new flat fare structure for Link light rail. 

The new fare, $3.00 per trip for adults, takes effect in the fall of 2024, coinciding with the opening of the Lynnwood Link Extension. 

Currently, Sound Transit charges between $2.25 and $3.50 for adults traveling one way based on distance. Sound Transit last raised Link fares in 2015. The new fare structure will not affect low-income adult (ORCA LIFT) fares or senior/disabled fares.

Extensive community engagement found the public almost evenly split on whether to continue with distance-based fares or move to flat fares. In making the change, board members emphasized increased simplicity and the potential for fare capping in the future, as well as equity concerns.

“With easy-to-understand pricing, and ORCA programs to match every income, there’s never been a better time to get on board Link,” said King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine. 

“Link is expanding to serve more and more communities over the next few years, and this simple pricing will make getting where you need to go even easier.”

The implementation of a flat fare will eliminate the need for Link passengers to tap off at the end of their trip. Today, if passengers fail to tap off, they pay the highest possible fare from their originating station. Forty-six percent (46%) of Link passengers pay the adult fare with the remainder using employer-funded passes or reduced fare products. Youth 18 and under ride free.

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Night work will close on-ramp and lanes on I-5 in Shoreline Saturday

Night closure of northbound I-5 on-ramp, left lanes, and off-ramp

On Saturday, December 16, 2023 Sound Transit will close the northbound I-5 on-ramp at NE 175th Street, the northbound I-5 left lanes between NE 155th St and NE 195th St, and the northbound I-5 off-ramp to SR-104 for a striping refresh. This work is part of the Lynnwood Link Extension.

What: 

• Closure of northbound I-5 on-ramp at NE 175th Street, the left lanes on northbound I-5 from NE155th Street to NE 195th Street, and the northbound I-5 off-ramp to SR-104. Detour routes are in place for drivers (see map).
• Crews will work at night to minimize effects on traffic.
• If the work is delayed, additional ramp closures will be scheduled and a new flyer will be provided to residents.
• Some bus routes may be affected. Please check the King County Metro website for details.

Where:

• Northbound I-5 on-ramp at NE 175th St.
• Northbound I-5 left lanes between NE 155th St and NE 195th St.
• Northbound I-5 off-ramp to SR-104.
• See map for detour information.

When:

• Northbound I-5 left lanes: Saturday, Dec. 16, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Northbound I-5 on-ramp at NE 175th St and off-ramp to SR-104:Saturday, Dec. 16, from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.

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Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm announces she is leaving the agency

Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm at a public meeting in Lake Forest Park.
Photo by Mike Remarcke

Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm announced Tuesday, December 12, 2023 that she will be leaving the agency in order to return to the East Coast to take care of family matters.

Since joining Sound Transit in September 2022, Timm has overseen a renewed emphasis on the rider experience as Sound Transit approaches the opening of several new extensions, starting with East Link next spring.

Her focus and leadership in centering current and future riders in the agency’s capital and operating programs will benefit the region for years to come.

Timm’s last day with Sound Transit will be January 12, 2024.

The board and staff leadership will form a transition team to navigate the agency through the leadership transition. The board is expected to appoint an interim CEO in the weeks ahead.

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LFP City Council sends letters to Sound Transit re plans for bus rapid transit through the city

Residents expressed their concerns at August meeting with Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm
Photo by Mike Remarcke

At its meeting on October 26, 2023, the Lake Forest Park City Council took action to approve two letters from the City Council to Sound Transit. 

The letters have been transmitted to Sound Transit and are now available on the City’s Sound Transit BRT webpage.

• The first letter is to Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm, requesting support for lower speed limits on SR 522/Bothell Way.

• The second letter is to the Sound Transit Board, urging Sound Transit to reconsider the BAT proposal and work with the city to develop a LFP transit solution based on queue jumps and signalized lights.

Watch video of the October 26, 2023 City Council meeting here.

Sound Transit previously released a detailed report, which responded to the concerns and ideas put forward by citizens during a public meeting with new CEO Julie Timm. (See report from August meeting)

The Sound Transit response from the August meeting can be viewed here

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Sound Transit seeks feedback on passenger experience

Photo courtesy Sound Transit

Sound Transit seeks feedback on passenger experience

Survey open through Nov. 22; results help set agency priorities

Sound Transit launched its Passenger Experience Survey, which seeks to evaluate how passengers view all of Sound Transit’s services. The findings are used to identify key areas of improvement and prioritize efforts to provide a better passenger experience.

Specifically, the survey collects passenger perspectives on the following:

• accessibility
• availability
• cleanliness
• safety
• passenger care
• maintenance
• passenger information

Additionally, the survey also collects ridership behavior and demographic information to help understand how perceptions of Sound Transit’s performance vary across different groups.

The survey, found here, takes about 15 minutes to complete. Participants are eligible to be entered in a raffle for one of four $250 gift cards or one of 15 gift cards valued at $100.

Sound Transit builds and operates regional transit service throughout the urban areas of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Transit services include light rail, commuter trains, express bus and their associated stations and facilities.

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Online Open House for NE 130th St Infill Sound Transit Station now live; in person session Tuesday

Aerial view of location of 130th Infill Station
Photo courtesy Sound Transit

In-person open house also available on October 24 from 5-7pm at Lake City Library

An online open house is now available to learn more about the NE 130th Street Infill Station serving Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension. The station will provide additional service to North Seattle residents once complete.

The online open house provides information about the construction of station finishes, streetscapes, and roadway improvements over the next two and a half years. Visitors to the site can also learn more about what to expect as Sound Transit prepares for the station to open in mid-2026. The Lynnwood Link Extension, connecting light rail from Northgate to Lynnwood City Center Station, is scheduled to open for service in fall 2024.

In addition to the online open house, Sound Transit is hosting a live pre-construction open house on October 24, 2023 from 5-7pm. The session will be held at the Lake City Library Meeting Room, located at 12501 28th Ave. NE, Seattle WA 98215.

The open house event is an opportunity for neighbors and community members to meet the construction team, learn about the project, understand the schedule and ask questions.

In 2016, voters approved the addition of a light rail station to the Lynnwood Link Extension at NE 130th St. by 2031. In February 2020, the Sound Transit Board authorized staff to complete final design of the station, and in summer 2022 the Board approved additional budget and contract changes for the accelerated delivery of the NE 130th St. Infill Station.

This decision advanced the opening of the new station to mid-2026, revised from the original 2031 opening date.

The infill station will serve a growing residential neighborhood between the Northgate and Shoreline South/148th stations and will be built along the existing Lynnwood Link Extension. Once complete in mid-2026, Sound Transit estimates that the NE 130th Street Infill Station will support approximately 3,400 daily boardings with access to Westlake Station in 15 minutes and SeaTac/Airport Station in 53 minutes.

The link for the online open house is here

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Sound Transit seeks feedback on passenger experience

Photo courtesy Sound Transit

Sound Transit seeks feedback on passenger experience

Survey open through Nov. 22; results help set agency priorities

On Monday, October 16, 2023, Sound Transit launched its Passenger Experience Survey, which seeks to evaluate how passengers view all of Sound Transit’s services. 

The findings are used to identify key areas of improvement and prioritize efforts to provide a better passenger experience.

Specifically, the survey collects passenger perspectives on the following:

• accessibility
• availability
• cleanliness
• safety
• passenger care
• maintenance
• passenger information

Additionally, the survey also collects ridership behavior and demographic information to help understand how perceptions of Sound Transit’s performance vary across different groups.

The survey, found here, takes about 15 minutes to complete. Participants are eligible to be entered in a raffle for one of four $250 gift cards or one of 15 gift cards valued at $100.

Sound Transit builds and operates regional transit service throughout the urban areas of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Transit services include light rail, commuter trains, express bus and their associated stations and facilities.

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Sound Transit public hearing on 2024 Service Plan

Notice of Public Hearing

Sound Transit, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, hereby gives notice that a public hearing will be held on phase 1 of Sound Transit’s proposed 2024 Service Plan, the 2024 Rail Service Plan. The hearing will be held:

Thursday, October 19, 2023, 9:30am

Hybrid Meeting via WebEx and in-person at Sound Transit’s Ruth Fisher Board Room 401 S Jackson St, Seattle WA 98104. If a password is not already entered, enter the following password: Agency.

To participate in the public hearing via phone: call 415-655-0001 or 206-207-1700, then enter access code: 2503 065 2287 and password: 243629.

The purpose of this hearing is to receive public comment on Sound Transit’s 2024 Service Plan.

Each year, Sound Transit's Service Planning Department prepares a Service Plan to guide the delivery of ST Express Bus, Sounder commuter rail, and Link light rail services. 

The Service Plan describes service and revisions proposed for the upcoming budget year. 

• Phase 1 of the plan, which is the focus of the public hearing, describes the Major Rail Service changes for 2024. 
• Phase 2 of the Service Plan will be presented in early 2024 and will have a separate public hearing.  Information about the proposed plan is provided on the Sound Transit website

For more information on the public hearing or to request ADA accommodation, please call Sound Transit at (800) 201-4900 or (888) 713-6030 (TTY), or email main@soundtransit.org.

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Rail grinding on the Lynnwood Link could be noisy for nearby neighbors

In preparation to open service from Northgate Station to the Lynnwood City Center Station in fall 2024, Sound Transit crews will be performing nighttime rail grinding this month between the Northgate Station area and Lynnwood Transit Center. 

Work will be performed between 9pm and 5am the following mornings. A breakdown of the schedule is below.

Rail grinding is a routine preventative maintenance tactic that prolongs the lifespan of light rail tracks. 

As crews work each night, the rail grinding will move further along the selected alignment. 

Nearby residents and businesses should expect to hear increased noise and see localized sparks near the equipment as the operation continues. 

Here is a video showing what the process looks like from previous rail grinding on the Northgate Link Extension: Northgate rail grinding (external link to YouTube).

Where/when

• Oct. 4 – Oct. 13: City of Seattle and Shoreline (Northgate Station to NE 152nd St, shown as blue on map).
• Oct. 9 – Oct. 20: City of Shoreline (NE 152nd St to 205th St/ SR 104 Interchange, shown as green on map).
• Oct. 13 – Oct. 26: City of Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace (SR 104 Interchange to 222nd St SW, shown as gold on map).
• Oct. 16 – Oct. 26: City of Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood (222nd St SW to Lynnwood Transit Center, shown as red on map).
• Dates and times are subject to change due to inclement weather or unforeseen issues. 

Contact information

• More project info: https://www.soundtransit.org/lynnwoodlink
• Contact: lynnwoodlink@soundtransit.org or 206-398-5300

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Overnight I-5 lane reductions, ramp closures scheduled between Mountlake Terrace and Shoreline

As part of their ongoing Lynnwood Light Rail extension, Sound Transit will have multiple overnight lane and ramp closures along I-5 and SR 104 next week.

SR 104 is also Ballinger Way, NE 205th, 244th SW, Lake Ballinger Way, Edmonds Way.

I-5 lane reductions

• Up to three lanes of southbound I-5 between 220th St SW and SR 104 will close beginning at 8pm Monday, Oct. 2, through 1am Tuesday, Oct. 3.
• The three right lanes of southbound I-5 between 44th Ave W and 228th St SW will close from 1 to 4:30am Monday, Oct. 2.
• The southbound I-5 off-ramp to SR 104 will close from 1 to 4:30am Monday, Oct. 2.
• The right lane of southbound I-5 between 44th Ave W and 220th St SW will close nightly from 8pm to 5am Monday, Oct. 2, through Friday morning, Oct. 6.
• The two right lanes of southbound I-5 between 220th St SW and SR 104 will close at 10pm Tuesday, Oct. 3, through 1am Wednesday, Oct. 4. The SR 104 ramps also will close.
• The three left lanes of southbound I-5 between 220th St SW and SR 104 will close from 1 to 4:30am Tuesday, Oct. 3.
• The three right lanes of southbound I-5 between 44th Ave W and 220th St SW will close at 11pm Wednesday, Oct. 4, through 4am Thursday, Oct. 5. The 44th Ave W on-ramp and the 220th St SW off-ramp also will close.

Ramp closures

• The southbound I-5 on-ramp from 220th St SW will close from 9pm Monday, Oct. 2, through 4:30am Tuesday, Oct. 3.
• The northbound I-5 off-ramp to eastbound SR 104 will close from 8pm to 4:30am nightly Monday, Oct. 2, through Wednesday morning, Oct. 4.
• The eastbound and westbound SR 104 on-ramps to northbound I-5 will close from 8pm to 4:30am nightly Monday, Oct. 2, through Wednesday morning, Oct. 4.
• The northbound I-5 off-ramp to westbound SR 104 will close from 9pm to 4am nightly Wednesday, Oct. 4, through Friday morning, Oct. 6.
• The northbound I-5 collector-distributor off-ramp to SR 104 will close from 11pm to 5am nightly Wednesday, Oct. 4, through Friday morning, Oct. 6.
• The westbound SR 104 on-ramp to northbound I-5 will close from 11pm to 5am nightly Wednesday, Oct. 4, through Friday morning, Oct. 6.

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Sound Transit hosting online open house about potential changes to Link light rail fares and parking options

Photo courtesy Sound Transit

Agency invites the public to take a survey to provide feedback on proposals

Sound Transit has launched an online open house to inform the public and to ask for feedback about changes the agency is considering to Link light rail fares and its parking program. The website, which is available through October 22, 2023 includes detailed information about the proposed changes and the potential impacts to riders.

Sound Transit is considering two fare structures for Link light rail that it would recommend to the agency’s Board of Directors. 

• Under one proposal, fares would be based on distance traveled. Base fare increases of $0.25 or $0.50 are under consideration, resulting in fare ranges of $2.50–$4.50 or $2.75–$4.75 after light rail expands to Lynnwood, Redmond, and Federal Way. 
• Under the second proposal, flat fare rates of $3.00, $3.25, or $3.50 are under consideration.

The proposals may change as the agency learns more from community members. Sound Transit last increased Link light rail fares eight years ago. Currently, Sound Transit charges between $2.25 and $3.50 for adults traveling one way based on distance.

Sound Transit is also considering changes to its parking program. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency established a reserved permit parking area at the busiest lots and issued free reserved carpool parking permits and paid reserved single-occupant vehicle permits. 

Permit parking was suspended in March 2020. Parking usage has been trending up in the last two years, and free carpool permit parking was re-started at the Tukwila International Boulevard and Northgate stations in 2022.

As Sound Transit prepares to open new Link light rail lines with 12 new and expanded park-and-ride lots in the next few years, parking is expected to regularly reach capacity. 

Now is the time to plan for efficient use of parking areas, to ensure passengers have reliable access to parking, and to recover agency costs associated with park-and-ride lots, as called for in the voter-approved ST3 System Plan.

Sound Transit is considering a variety of tools, including adoption of daily fees, at some or all park-and-ride lots. Monthly permits and daily user fees can help Sound Transit manage the availability of parking, so passengers are more likely to find a space when they need one.

The online open house includes surveys where people can provide feedback on the various fare and parking options.

The link for the online open house is here.

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Sound Transit response to concerns of Lake Forest Park residents

Sound Transit has released a detailed response to Lake Forest Park citizens and City Council, who gathered in the hundreds to let Sound Transit leadership know their concerns about the plan to create a Bus Rapid Transit lane on Bothell Way through almost the entire length of the city.

The lane will require cutting deep into the hillside, removing hundreds of trees and shoring up the hillside with a two story concrete retaining wall.

The report is thorough, responding to each major issue and listing every comment submitted and made in person at the meeting.

There are minor concessions, for example, the concrete wall will have cut-outs to allow planting of vines to grow up and cover the concrete.

The report can be read here

Lake Forest Park has a webpage devoted to this issue. Access it here.

--Diane Hettrick

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Entrance to Ridgecrest Park to close to vehicles during Sound Transit construction

NE 161st St. restoration and Ridgecrest Park parking lot closure

Starting as early as Monday, October 2, 2023 Sound Transit will be closing the west end of NE 161st St for road restoration.

The daytime construction is expected to last to October 6. 

As a result, the driveway to the Ridgecrest Park parking lot will be closed, so vehicles won’t have access to the park. However, pedestrians will still have access.

Residents who live in the construction area will still have access.

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