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Can Light Rail Keep Up With Puget Sound Population?

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In the last five years, 144K new residents have joined us here in the Puget Sound region (58K in Seattle alone). Over the course of the next 25 years, we can expect to see around a million more new faces. So considering that we've already seen road delays increase by 50 percent in the last fives years, it stands to reason that we need to make some critical changes to infrastructure if we're going to accommodate everyone. As of right now, the ST3 vote in 2016 will determine whether or not the light rail system will be expanded to critical areas such as West Seattle and Ballard as well as extended lines to Everett, Tacoma and Redmond. The plan calls for all of this to be done in 15 years but there are serious questions about whether or not the money is there to make it happen. The folks at Seattle Subway have their own idea: STComplete. Their plan extends the timeline to 30 years in order to not only space out the costs but also take expansion to it's logical next level. They would include expanded light rail to Snohomish suburbs, East King County, South King County, Pierce County beyond Tacoma and North Seattle spots like Lake City. In other words, the kind of all-inclusive light rail system that will keep many of the region's growing millions off the roads as they commute. Check out their video pitch below and chime in on how you feel about the idea.

· ST3 – Once in a Lifetime [STB]
· Introducing STcomplete [YT]
· Regional Transit Expansion: Sound Transit 3 [ST]