City signs off on implementation plan for West Seattle and Ballard light rail

Mayor Jenny Durkan signed an agreement Wednesday laying out a framework for getting the West Seattle and Ballard light rail stations online by 2030 and 2035, respectively.

The implementation plan outlines how the city’s going to work with Sound Transit on project coordination, permitting, and system priorities, and commits the city and Sound Transit to timelines and other best practices.

The Seattle City Council gave their approval to the plan earlier this week. The Mayor’s office says all Seattle-area Sound Transit board members have approved it, too.

“As both Mayor and a member of the Sound Transit Board, I will work to cut red tape to provide faster, more reliable transit service to neighborhoods sooner,” said Durkan.

Sound Transit’s current plan for the West Seattle line includes stops in Delridge, on Avalon, and in the Junction. The plan for the Ballard line includes stops at Denny, in South Lake Union, at the Seattle Center, and in Interbay before its terminus at Market Street. The extensions include a new tunnel and station downtown.

The Sound Transit Board approved a plan to open the extensions in 2030 and 2035 in September, shortening the original timeline by about three years. The Mayor’s plan commits both the city and Sound Transit to various timelines to stay on that schedule, including beginning project development by the end of 2017 and choosing preferred line alternatives in the first half of 2019.

Expediting the two light rail lines was a key campaign promise from both Durkan and opponent Cary Moon—Moon with a loan, Durkan by expediting the construction and permit process.

• Sound Transit partnering agreement [Office of the Mayor]
• Sound Transit moves forward with West Seattle and Ballard light rail project [Sound Transit]
• West Seattle/Ballard [Sound Transit]

This article has been updated to correct a typo.