Ballard light rail ‘not dead’: Sound Transit targets 2042 for Market Street service
Jul 31, 2026, 4:04 PM
The Sound Transit 3 plan will expand the existing Link light rail system to the suburbs of Tacoma, Federal Way, Everett and Issaquah. (Photo courtesy of Downtown Seattle Association)
(Photo courtesy of Downtown Seattle Association)
“Light rail to Ballard is not dead,” according to Seattle City Councilmember and Sound Transit Board Member Dan Strauss.
Sound Transit laid out a path Friday to bring light rail to Ballard’s Market Street by 2042.
To make it happen, the agency said it needs to find roughly one billion dollars in savings or new revenue by 2030 — and close the remaining funding gap by 2033.
Sound Transit Board member and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said in May that Ballard “deserves light rail.”
“This would be the only urban regional center that’s not connected to light rail,” he said. “They have the highest projected ridership in the entire system.”
In a statement Friday, Zahilay said Sound Transit is committed to delivering the full Ballard Light Rail extension and all voter-approved ST3 projects.
“The information provided by Sound Transit today shows we can deliver light rail to Market Street in 2042 if we stay focused over the next 7 years on finding cost savings and additional financial capacity,” he said. “I’m ready to do everything in my capacity as a board member and regional leader to make this happen.”
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Without funding by 2033, Ballard light rail could be delayed to 2060
In May, the ST3 plan was updated to fully fund the line only to Seattle Center, leaving the Ballard segment without funding.
If Sound Transit does not come up with the money in time, service to Ballard could slip to 2060, which would be an 18-year delay.
Meanwhile, Chinatown-International District to Seattle Center service would be scheduled to begin in 2042, the agency said.
“Today’s announcement shows us the way to get Ballard Link back on track,” Strauss said. “I asked for Sound Transit to provide this date range to increase transparency for the public and provide us all a clear vision of the work we must do together to deliver light rail to Ballard. We must use these tools and get this project delivered by 2042.”
As Sound Transit looks to reduce costs on the Ballard Link extension, the agency said it is doing similar work for the West Seattle Link Extension, where it has already identified $2.5 billion in cost savings.
The agency also said Friday it is exploring options including pursuing state authority for longer-term bonds, increasing debt capacity, reforming permitting to speed project delivery, and securing additional third-party funding.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
