Sound Transit eyes march to Everett

We’re nearly a year into light rail service to Lynnwood, and Sound Transit is now looking ahead to expanding into Everett.

It’s hard to believe, but we’re coming up on the one-year anniversary of service to Lynnwood. It started just before Labor Day last year. Sound Transit is now looking at completing what it promised voters in 2016, under ST-3, the 16-mile extension to downtown Everett.

As it sits on paper, the light rail would run along I-5 to 128th in south Everett and then follow Airport Road up to the Boeing plant. It would then continue along SR 526 to I-5 and then up to downtown Everett.

As many as seven stations would be built along the corridor. Where are we today?

“We’re in the environmental study period, which, broadly speaking, studies the impact of the project on the environment, both the natural environment like wetlands and streams, but also the built environment, like historic resources and and how transportation will work once this thing is done,” Public Information Officer for Sound Transit David Jackson said.

Sound Transit opens public comment for new line

Sound Transit has opened a month-long public comment period to get your feedback on what this line should look like, everything from potential stations to track alignment.

“What we’re looking for from the public right now is their thoughts, like how they would use this project when it’s built, what’s the need for it, and thoughts on alignments and station locations, all those things,” Jackson said. “Those things are not set in stone.”

Look at the preliminary drawings. They include potential station locations and where the trains might go. Should the line go across I-5 in multiple places to serve the community better? That’s the kind of information Sound Transit needs in this public comment period.

“It’s about connecting the north part of our region to the rest of the network that already exists — connecting people to jobs, education to healthcare, and leisure activities,” Jackson said. “It’s about knitting our region together tighter.”

While Jackson doesn’t have a concrete number on what this extension might cost as of today, some estimates have put it at $5 to $7 billion, with construction to start around 2030 and service starting between 2037 and 2041.

But all that could change.

“The 2037 to 2041 is also cost dependent,” Jackson said. “If we have to slow it down because we need money, that could slow things down.”

We all remember what happened to the cost estimates on the extension from Northgate to Lynnwood.

Everyone always says they want to talk to Sound Transit about what’s next and how it spends your money. Now’s your chance.

Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.

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