Transit group pushes Sand Point-Kirkland Lake Washington light rail crossing

It’s only a dream, but some transportation advocates are hailing Sound Transit’s willingness to study the long-term feasibility of a new light rail line running between Ballard and Redmond.

Sound Transit is in the process of updating its long-range plan, a wish list of projects that could be given more serious consideration in the coming decades after all of the current voter-approved projects are complete in 2023.

Among the ideas being promoted is a dedicated light-rail line that would cross Lake Washington between Sand Point north of the University of Washington and Kirkland.

“A potential Sand Point crossing allows the speediest possible connection between some very large employment centers and important destinations serving both the Eastside and Seattle,” says Jonathon Hopkins, political director with non-profit transit advocacy group Seattle Subway.

Sound Transit is already working to add light rail from Seattle to Bellevue via I-90, and plans for the new SR 520 bridge to include provisions for adding light rail alongside as well in the future.

But Hopkins says for thousands of commuters who live north on both sides of the lake, a new rail line would be far more convenient and could be critical in helping alleviate the ever-growing traffic accompanying our region’s rapid growth.

“Tons of people live in the north end and work at Microsoft. Tons of people are on the Eastside and come into Seattle for work, so the ridership should be high,” he says.

One potential route proposed by Seattle Subway would feature stations in Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, the University District and near Seattle Children’s Hospital, before crossing the lake at Magnuson Park to downtown Kirkland. It would then continue to downtown Redmond with a stop at Marymoor Park before ending at Microsoft’s Redmond Campus.

Among the suggested options is a floating, submerged tunnel spanning the lake.

On the surface, the idea seems dead in the water. With demands so great for numerous transit projects in the coming decade, the new line would likely cost billions of dollars and face stiff opposition.

Because it’s only a dream at this point, Hopkins admits there’s no way of knowing how much such a grandiose project would cost, and whether it’s actually even feasible. But he’s heartened Sound Transit has agreed after much urging to at least explore whether the idea should even be included in the long-term regional discussion.

“As the nation’s fastest growing city and region we really need to be able to improve our transit,” Hopkins says. “It would probably have very significant ridership as a transit corridor and seems like a feasible way to get across the lake.”

The Sound Transit board is expected to approve its update to the long-range plan in December.

If it ultimately decides it wants to expand the region’s current transit systems or create new ones such as the proposed north-lake line, it would require significant new money approved by voters, the legislature or both.

While some might dismiss it as pie in the sky, Hopkins argues his group’s idea isn’t that far fetched.

“People scoffed at the idea of extending light rail all the way to Lynwood. And now we’re doing that, he says. “So why not?”