WE ARE WEST SEATTLE RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT SOUND TRANSIT’S PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL PLANS

This means that there are better alternatives. Other transportation improvements will continue.

Sound Transit staff

Chris Arkills, Transportation Policy Advisor to King County Exec. waves WHY BUILD IT? flyer

Alan McMurray spoke to people who gathered for a ReThinkTheLink light rail route walk on June 9. The tour took them out to mid span on the lower Spokane Street Bridge and back. 

Photo by Patrick Robinson

Tuesday, 05/14/2024

By Martin Westerman and regional transit colleagues, May 10, 2024

Our region needs a realistic transportation plan that is effective and affordable.

The West Seattle light rail extension fails on all three dimensions of sustainability -- environment, economics, and equity. There are better ways to spend public transit dollars for a fraction of the cost. King County Metro using electric buses could make public transit world class throughout the West Seattle peninsula.

West Seattle has a Transit Desert.

Sound Transit’s NO BUILD OPTION can improve all our modes* of community transit.

*Rapid Ride/Frequent, Washington State Ferries, Water Taxi, Dart, Access, VanPool.

Transit deserts lack adequate public transit. These areas contain populations that are transit-dependent.

WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL IS OVER BUDGET. IT WILL COST $4 BILLION.

SOUND TRANSIT COULD BETTER SPEND THAT MONEY ON OUR BUSES - AND OTHER EXISTING TRANSIT.

HERE ARE MORE REASONS WHY WE WANT SOUND TRANSIT TO STUDY THE NO BUILD OPTION.

Images are downloadable on our Artwork page!

The Good News

In Sound Transit’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) there is a federally required No Build Alternative. No Build does not mean "do nothing." It does mean maintaining and continuing to improve what we have.

“The No Build Alternative includes projects, funding packages, and proposals in the central Puget Sound region planned to occur with or without the WSBLE. No Build improvements include transit, roadway, and other transportation actions by state, regional, and local agencies currently funded or committed, and those likely to be implemented based on approved and committed funding.”

Rethinkthelink.org strongly urges Sound Transit to seriously examine its NO BUILD OPTION.