Sound Transit, the regional transit system serving the greater Seattle area, has enacted a $1.6 billion 2017 budget.
The budget allots $1.2 billion for light rail and other system expansions, including work that will begin on projects approved by regional voters in November.
The budget places emphasis on additional construction work approaching the 2023 opening of the East Link LRT expansion. Following completion of Northgate Tunnel boring earlier, construction on the station is set to kick off in 2017 as the project moves toward its expected 2021 opening. Work on light rail designs will continue as Sound Transit works toward the 2023 opening to Lynnwood and 2024 openings to Federal Way and Downtown Redmond.
The 2017 budget outlines initial steps on Sound Transit 3 projects, as well. Work continuing in early 2017 will include the development of a Program Implementation Plan for both projects approved in 2008 and 2016, which will include a master program schedule and refinements of internal processes as the system works to grow its capacity. The Sound Transit Board is set to review the plan and evaluate amendments to the 2017 budget in the spring for additional project work during the year.
Sound Transit’s budget also includes $396 million foroperations as the system’s weekday ridership now exceeds 150,000 passengers. The system plans to begin operating two new round-trips on the Sounder South Line in September 2017, providing expanded options and capacity for commuters to travel during rush hours.
“In 2017, Sound Transit will make significant progress toward delivering infrastructure expansions that will boost our region’s economy while giving commuters a reliable and desirable alternative to the worsening congestion on our roadways,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. “Work is already under way on some of the new projects that voters approved last month.”
Budget commitments for 2017 include:
Link light rail
$393.4 million to extend light rail to from downtown Seattle to downtown Bellevue and the Overlake Transit Center.
• $258.9 million to continue construction of the Northgate Link Extension.
• $116.2 million to continue Lynnwood Link Extension final design.
• $99.8 million for a design-build contract for the East Operations and Maintenance Base Facility.
• $59.5 million for LRV procurement.
• $14.2 million to complete preliminary engineering to extend light-rail about 3.7 miles from Overlake Transit Center to downtown Redmond.
• $6.1 million to complete the environmental process and preliminary engineering for the Federal Way Link Extension and transition to final design.
• $9.9 million for final design of the Tacoma Link Extension.
Sounder commuter rail
• $38 million to complete Tacoma Trestle construction.
• $6.9 million to complete construction of the second track for the Point Defiance Bypass Project.
• $4.7 million to complete Sounder Yard Expansion construction.
• $4.8 million to complete track and signal improvements for two additional Sounder south line round trips.
• $4.4 million for Puyallup Station access improvements design-build work.
• $3.8 million for nine Sounder train passenger cars.
• $506,000 for Kent Station Access Improvements conceptual engineering.
• $506,000 for Auburn Station access improvements conceptual engineering.