MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Report: Sound Transit gets $1.2 billion of fed money for Lynnwood line

Nov 20, 2018, 7:13 AM | Updated: 11:16 am

light rail, lynnwood...

(Sound Transit)

(Sound Transit)

Sound Transit is getting $1.2 billion through a deal with the Trump administration that will push light rail even further north to Lynnwood.

The Seattle Times reports that once the Lynnwood line is completed, about 68,500 riders are expected to use it. It will take 20 minutes to get to the University of Washington station, and 28 minutes to get into downtown. Construction is expected to be complete by 2024. It will likely be a welcome option to commuters who now spend more than 1.5 hours getting into Seattle from Everett.

The $1.2 billion in federal money will pay for the 8.5 mile stretch of track between Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood and Lynnwood. The funds are part of an agreement with the Trump administration and still have to be approved by a congressional review, but The Times says it is likely to pass. Sound Transit is relying on federal funds to cover about 40 percent of the light rail project.

“It really is a major breakthrough,” Rogoff told The Times on Monday. “It signals the administration’s complete intent to go forward.

Senator Maria Cantwell said “Christmas came early to Puget Sound” with the $1.2 billion agreement.

Meanwhile, Northgate just got access to new parking spaces near its transit center. The Northgate light rail station is not expected to start service for another three years, but a parking lot for the station has already opened. KOMO reports that drivers have already started applying to pay $120 a month to reserve a spot at a new garage near the Northgate Transit Center. Other spaces at the parking garage will be open to drivers in general.

Three park-and-ride lots recently closed around Northgate. They collectively had 329 paces. The newly opened garage replaces those spots, and has about 120 more spaces.

RELATED: Seattle housing boom a bust for commuters

MyNorthwest News

Pathway of Lights at Greenlake. (Photo: ARC Seattle)...

Paul Holden

Participate in holiday weekend happenings, many of them free

A wintry weekend full of things to do lies ahead, from ice skating to band concerts to bonsai trees. Many of them are free.

1 hour ago

Photo: A mother and her child walk in front of festive Christmas displays....

James Lynch

King County expert urges parents to talk to children amid teacher abuse allegations

KIRO Newsradio reached out to a King County expert to learn what parents should look out for amid teacher sex crime allegations.

1 hour ago

Photo: Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church in Snohomish County was destroyed by fire in August 2023....

Julia Dallas

Texas woman accused of setting fire that destroyed Snohomish County church indicted

Natasha Marie Odell, 38, garnered three felonies related to arson at Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church in Snohomish County last year

4 hours ago

Photo: Seattle and King County have been penalized for sewer discharge violations....

Bill Kaczaraba

Sewer overflow violations cost Seattle, King County thousands of dollars

Seattle and King County were penalized for sewer overflow violations, according to the WA Ecology Dept. and the EPA.

4 hours ago

Photo: Shoreline Police Department used drones to help capture a suspect....

Julia Dallas

Shoreline police release video game-esque drone footage of suspect’s capture

The Shoreline Police Department and King County Sheriff's Department had help from a special tool last month.

6 hours ago

Photo: The goalkeeper guards the net as girls take part in a high school soccer match....

Bill Kaczaraba

WIAA director: Transgender champion brings attention to high school rules

High schools in Washington are considering new trans-athlete rules, partly due to high-profile cases.

6 hours ago

Report: Sound Transit gets $1.2 billion of fed money for Lynnwood line