Sound Transit has entered an extraordinarily busy time, with new light rail construction entering a whole new phase of activity. The connection from downtown to the University of Washington is moving towards completion; the extension to Northgate and Lynnwood is actively proceeding; light rail to Bellevue and Redmond is in design; and light rail south […]

University Link is under construction between downtown and Husky Stadium.  The line from there to Northgate is going into final design and engineering.  And Seattle is also getting a new light rail station on the East Link between downtown and Redmond. East Link has already been approved by the Sound Transit Board, although there are […]

Today, Thursday, June 28, the Sound Transit Board unanimously approved my motion to create a new access strategy for the Northgate light rail station.  This motion is the first effort to implement the new Sound Transit Board’s policy direction that emphasizes developing a variety of access modes to get riders to Sound Transit stations.  It […]

The City is embarking on a three year program to support investment in the University District.  With construction of light rail from Husky Stadium to Northgate about to break ground, the U District is poised to take a major step forward as an Urban Center, and the City initiative is designed to help make that […]

On October 27 the Sound Transit Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Bellevue that clears the way for entering into final design on an agreed-upon route for East Link through the City of Bellevue.  I was one of the three Sound Transit Board negotiators that met with the Bellevue City […]

On Monday, October 31, Sound Transit submitted its application for a federal TIGER grant to construct light rail from Sea-Tac Airport to S. 200th Street, a critical move that begins the process of extending light rail to the south.  This extension was included in the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure in 2008, but the recession […]

Light rail is a great way to provide transit service connecting dense urban communities. That’s why the region has built it from Seattle to the airport, and is building more lines to Bellevue and Redmond over I-90 and north from downtown to UW and Northgate. However rapid bus transit service will provide a more flexible and effective form of high capacity transit for the 520 corridor.