Members of the public are invited to attend upcoming public meetings to learn more about the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions (WSBLE) Project, Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and the Draft EIS comment period.
The Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) is proposing to expand the regional light rail system south and west from Downtown Seattle to West Seattle and north from Downtown Seattle to Ballard.
The proposed light rail extensions will be within the city of Seattle in King County, Washington and they are part of the Sound Transit 3 Plan, funding for which was approved by voters in 2016 (Sound Transit 2016).
The WSBLE Project is a 19 km (11.8-mile) corridor through the city of Seattle in King County, Washington, the most densely populated county of the Puget Sound region. The WSBLE Project consists of two extensions: the West Seattle Link Extension and the Ballard Link Extension.
West Seattle Link Extension
The West Seattle Link Extension would be about 7.6 km (4.7 miles) and include stations at SODO, Delridge, Avalon, and Alaska Junction.
The West Seattle Link Extension would begin south of South Holgate Street and include a new SODO Station that would allow for transfers with the existing SODO Station on the existing Central Link light rail line. The West Seattle Link Extension would travel either at-grade or on an elevated guideway. In the West Seattle Junction area, the guideway could be elevated or in a tunnel. A tunnel in West Seattle was not included in the Sound Transit 3 Plan (Sound Transit 2016); therefore, third-party funding may be needed for alternatives that include tunnels. Three stations would be constructed in West Seattle:Delridge, Avalon, and Alaska Junction.
Ballard Link Extension
The Ballard Link Extension would be about 114 km from Downtown Seattle to Ballard’s Northwest Market Street area and includes a new 5.3 km (3.3-mile) rail-only tunnel from Chinatown-International District to South Lake Union and Seattle Center/Uptown. Five underground stations—Midtown, Westlake, Denny, South Lake Union, and Seattle Center stations—would be included. The Ballard Link Extension would start service between 2037-2039.
Until April 28, 2022 the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) comment period to share public input on route and station alternatives will be considered. Responses to Draft EIS comments will be included in the Final EIS, scheduled to be published in 2023. The Sound Transit Board will then select the project to be built and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will release a Record of Decision.
For further information click here for the Draft EIS of the project and also visit https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/west-seattle-ballard-link-extensions. 11/22.
