Timeline and milestones

• Alternatives development
  • Environmental  scoping, when Sound Transit seeks public, agency and tribal input on alignment, station and OMF North alternatives
  • Identify and evaluate station, route and OMF alternatives
  • The Sound Transit Board identifies alternatives for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and will likely also identify a preferred alternative
• Draft EIS
  • Conceptual engineering
  • Prepare Draft EIS
  • Public review and comment on the Draft EIS
  • Sound Transit Board confirms/modifies preferred alternative for Final EIS
• Final EIS
  • Preliminary engineering
  • Prepare Final EIS
  • Sound Transit Board selects project to be built
  • Federal Record of Decision 

• Final station and route designs
• Procure and commission station and public art
• Obtain land use and construction permits
• Begin property acquisition/relocation

• Groundbreaking
• Construction updates and mitigation
• Safety education
• Testing and pre-operations

*In May 2026, the Sound Transit Board approved an updated ST3 System Plan as part of the Enterprise Initiative: a comprehensive effort Sound Transit launched to tackle rapidly rising capital and operating costs and affordably deliver the objectives of the ST3 program.  

The updated plan includes full funding to construct the Everett Link Extension on its existing timeline. 

The current schedule for opening light rail service from Lynnwood City Center Station to SW Everett Industrial Center Station is 2037, with the opening of the two northernmost stations (SR 526/Evergreen and Everett Station) in 2041. The station planned for SR 99/Airport Road is still identified as provisional. This means it is funded through environmental review, but not for final design and construction. 

OMF North is planned to open in 2034, prior to opening of the light rail extension. The facility is necessary for storing railcars and supporting the rest of the regional system, as well as the extension to Everett.

To prioritize reaching Everett as rapidly as possible, the updated System Plan also defers parking facilities at Mariner and Everett stations. The intent is to explore third-party funding opportunities and emphasize other options for people to access the system, including connections to and from local bus routes.