Achieving long-term affordability
Sound Transit's comprehensive effort to reduce costs, increase funding, and deliver voter-approved transit

ST3 System Plan update

Sound Transit is committed to delivering all the projects in ST3.

On May 28, the Sound Transit Board adopted an updated ST3 System Plan — an action the voter-approved ST3 ballot measure requires if the agency’s associated Long-Range Financial Plan is out of balance by more than 5%.

The system plan update was informed by technical and financial analyses, feedback from a series of Board workshops and committee meetings, and public input from town halls, community events, and an online survey.

No projects were canceled, and all light rail projects will continue to move forward.

To navigate financial constraints, the updated System Plan classifies all ST3 capital projects into one of three categories:

Affordable within existing resources

The following projects and investments are affordable within the agency’s Long-Range Financial Plan and consistent with Financial Policies and subarea equity. Fully funded projects are listed in planned opening sequence, except for maintenance facilities, which will be phased as required to support system operations.

Fully funded projects

Tacoma Dome Access Improvements

West Seattle Link Extension, no Avalon Station

Renton Transit Center Parking Garage

Tacoma Dome Link Extension

Everett Link Extension, phase 1

Everett Link Extension, phase 2

Ballard Link Extension, initial segment to Seattle Center

TCC Tacoma Link Extension (now 2043)

South Kirkland – Issaquah Link (now 2050)

Link Operations and Maintenance Facility South

Link Operations and Maintenance Facility North

Graham Street Station

Sounder Maintenance Base

Partially funded projects or projects funded through planning and design

Ballard Link Extension, final design phase

Boeing Access Road Station, final design phase

Sounder South additional trips (partially funded)

DuPont Sounder Extension, planning phase

Regional Parking Fund

High-capacity transit corridor studies/ST4 planning (partially funded)

ST Express Bus Base (partially funded)

Construction not currently affordable within existing resources

Construction of the following projects is not currently funded in the agency’s Long-Range Financial Plan, and the Board will evaluate options for restoring additional funding for these projects as cost and revenue uncertainties are resolved. Projects in this category will be allocated funding based on available agency capacity and subarea finances at the time resources become available. Light rail projects will be funded to final design.

Construction not currently affordable

Ballard Link Extension, Seattle Center to Market Street

Boeing Access Road Station

DuPont Sounder Extension, final design and construction

High-capacity transit corridor studies/ST4 planning, remainder

Sounder South additional trips, remainder

Defer until resources identified

The following projects are not funded in the agency's Long-Range Financial Plan. If additional funding from other parties becomes available for these projects, the Board will consider allocating agency resources to advance delivery.

Deferred projects

Tacoma Dome Link Extension Parking

Everett Link Extension Parking

Stride Bus Rapid Transit Parking

North Sammamish Park-and-Ride

Bus on Shoulder project

Edmonds and Mukilteo Parking and Access Improvements

SR 162 Corridor Improvements

Sounder South Platform Extensions

Sounder South Station Access Improvements

ST Express Bus Base, remainder

The proposed System Plan update keeps projects moving. By building the projects that are ready and advancing planning for projects further down the pipeline, the agency can maximize progress within the resources available today.

Sound Transit is also committed to growing those resources, and to finding further cost savings as design advances.