West Seattle residents will have to wait nearly another decade for light rail service after Sound Transit delayed the planned opening of the West Seattle Link extension until 2035. The delay is the latest in a series of schedule changes tied to a major budget gap at the agency. During the 2016 election campaign, Sound Transit promised an opening by 2030. A few months ago, the agency delayed the West Seattle expansion until 2032. Now, the projected opening is 2035. “It’s honestly disturbing because it’s like when we vote for something, our taxes go up and we want to know, ‘Well, what’s the delay?'” West Seattle resident Chris Kelly told KOMO News in Alaska Junction on Friday. “I’m going to be dead and gone by the time I get here,” added Kathy Lund of West Seattle. “That’s part of Seattle’s problem: They have too many things they don’t do that they should do.” Earlier this year, Sound Transit identified a $35 billion budget shortfall. In response, the agency conducted surveys and held several meetings about how it would continue to complete promised projects while dealing with the budget crisis. Since the spring, that has included uncertainty over the planned 3.9 miles of track connecting West Seattle to SODO. The extension is planned to extend from Alaska Junction in West Seattle across SODO, with an elevated route shown in project renderings. Sound Transit said the refined schedule is a cost-saving measure and is intended to provide a realistic delivery schedule. The agency said it remains committed to delivering the West Seattle Link extension while remaining “disciplined to find cost and schedule savings.” At a committee meeting Thursday, Sound Transit acting director of capital delivery Brad Owen explained that the final design and right-of-way phases were on hold until there was an affordable system-wide plan, which was adopted in May, to also bring service north to Everett and south to Pierce County. “We also developed more detailed construction schedules that showed additional time would be needed for major elements of the project, including the Duwamish River crossing.” Owen stated. “While no one welcomes a later opening date, this is a realistic timeline that reflects deliberate decisions to build a better project.” On the same day the delay was announced, Sound Transit also said it had reached an agreement with Seattle City Light on technical design work. The agency said the work will relocate some unbuilt transmission lines to Sixth Avenue South, which had been part of the original plan.
