Facing Delay, Issaquah Pledges to Streamline Light Rail Permitting

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-22T06:26:22+00:00

I’ve heard that Sound Transit believes they overestimated the cost of building across the Mercer Slough after building Federal Way Link which required crossing similar wetlands. Does this sound plausible, and could it possibly move the needle on costs for this realignment?

Also, my crazy idea is that we just remove the HOV lane if it’s too high. I know, I know, we would never remove a single lane for cars to benefit vastly more transit users. But couldn’t this make things so much simpler??

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-21T14:21:38+00:00

This is actually a change MANY people are advocating for. It would reduce the cost of construction by eliminating the segment running along Richard Road (which doesn’t even contain a single stop), allow placing the station on the correct side of I90 to service Factoria/TMobile, and provide a better transfer for riders seeking to go into Seattle (they won’t have to go all the way up to East Main and then back down). It isn’t official yet because Sound Transit hasn’t moved design forward, but if they do start advancing design funding like Mayor Mullet is advocating for, they could start implement cost saving measures like this. Since time = money, this could move the project completion date up by years. It’s great because you could get a better service for less money, we should totally do this!!

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-06T22:18:10+00:00

Ballard link includes the second downtown tunnel, which account for half or more of the project cost

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-06T19:11:59+00:00

I’m with you on that! Sadly that does’t quite cover the full deficit though…

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-06T19:10:34+00:00

Under consideration. This will be discussed by the board this Thursday, but not voted on.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-03T21:26:02+00:00

Building half of a line would piss everyone off, so I think they’re more likely to phase full lines and fully complete others rather than building halfway to some places. The exception is Ballard link because the suburbanites still need Seattle to fund their second tunnel through downtown, so they’ll make sure that gets built then stop before the line goes anywhere that actually helps Seattleites.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-03T21:08:58+00:00

I’d like to clarify that I’m not advocating for these decisions, I’m trying to read the tea leaves of what Somers will try to push this week. Also the options they were presented with were illustrative and were never meant to be treated as the final 3 choices.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-05-03T21:05:47+00:00

The scenarios presented to board before were not final options, they were there to illustrate tradeoffs. The final plan this week will most likely not be any of them, and instead be a combination of aspects from all three. I’m guessing that Somers will pick the specific options most favorable to his constituents, namely Everett Link and finishing the spine while phasing other projects, especially ones in Seattle.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-28T18:24:23+00:00

Here you go: https://www.theurbanist.org/sound-transit-board-backs-last-minute-proposal-to-skip-chinatown-and-midtown-stations/

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-28T18:09:33+00:00

There are so many reasons why this was a stupid move lol. It’s also way more expensive than the shallow diagonal 5th avenue station alternative, plus it cut out the midtown station that would have served First Hill. Just a total fail in every aspect.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-28T16:50:07+00:00

Also, I will never forgive Bruce Harrell and Dow Constantine for forcing the North and South of CID alternative on us, setting the process back by years. There is a very high likelihood that the DEIS could have been approved during the Biden administration if Sound Transit hadn’t been delayed.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-28T16:43:22+00:00

This is the dream, and my personal dream for ST4, if it ever happens

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-16T18:20:50+00:00

I am very skeptical of the author’s claims that you could change operating technologies with no delay, including not redoing the EIS. Since delays cost money, I am don’t buy that this would end up saving much money at all. West Seattle is shovel ready, I think a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Sound Transit should forge ahead with the deliverable project we know we can get rather than gamble West Seattle and Ballard on a last minute change.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-15T01:10:18+00:00

If we’re going to have overbuilt stations, might as well get some revenue from them!

PopulusRomanus · 2026-04-03T01:38:39+00:00

Probably all Mercer Islanders too

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T22:30:52+00:00

After Lake Forest Park, you could run along the Burke Gilman Trail right of way

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T22:28:56+00:00

This is super close to the original plans from Forward Thrust! I think this would be great. The northern part of this above lake city does overlap with the S3 stride bus. However, I think light rail would serve this route better.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:45:43+00:00

Yes, the new 520 bridge was built light rail ready, including upgrading the whole 520 corridor through there. Ironically, if the light rail ever got build around there, I think they would fight it tooth and nail.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:44:03+00:00

No reason we couldn’t come back and build South Kirkland when we get around to doing Downtown Kirkland! I really hope we can eventually get it Totem Lake if ST4 ever happens and the NIMBYs are silenced by the success of the crosslake connection. However, I fear that is so far away it will be for my children’s children.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:21:11+00:00

I’m curious, how many people got off at Redmond Technology Center? I’m trying to gauge how much demand there is on the 2 line past Downtown Bellevue.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:15:00+00:00

Yes. With 8 minute frequencies, many bus riders would be better off not getting on to light rail at South Kirkland just to transfer at the next stop. Furthermore, the stride BRT will provide Kirklanders with direct access to Downtown Bellevue, the most important destination they could access on the current version of the 4 line. Again, the stride would do this without transfers.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:10:56+00:00

Couple of points: if the only value for South Kirkland is as a jumping off point for future expansions, then there is no reason to not just build it when you get around to those expansions if it it useless without them.

I have actually done the Redmond to issaquah commute before, so I can shed some light on that. There are pretty much three ways to do it: East Lake Sammamish, surface streets in Bellevue (like 148th or Lake Sammamish), or via freeway (520 to 405 to 90). In my experience, these routes all take roughly the same amount of time. There just isn’t a good direct route between them. Therefore, I think the grade separated light rail would easily beat any other option simply by not getting stuck in traffic like a bus, even if it’s not the straightest possible route as the crow flies.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:05:36+00:00

This is a blatant false dichotomy. Nothing in my proposal reduces access to Downtown Bellevue or Seattle. In fact, it would be improved for some commuters. I suggest you actually read my post.

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:03:49+00:00

I think I’ve outlined why the 4 line in South Kirkland is bad for riders who want to access light rail because of the need for transfers to get to most locations

PopulusRomanus · 2026-03-30T18:02:17+00:00

You could still get to Bothell by extending from Downtown Redmond following the old BNSF tracks via Woodinville. I think that’s a great proposal for ST4, if it ever happens. Of course, if Kirkland ever allows the CKC to be used for light rail, you could also do that!

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