Sound Transit says the federal government has agreed to supply $1.2 billion needed to build the Sound Transit Light Rail extension to Lynnwood.
At the Lynnwood Transit Center, we spotted Jennifer Koch and her kids on their way to Thanksgiving at grandmother's house in Tennessee. Their first leg is a bus ride to Seattle, where they will catch the Sound Transit Light Rail to Sea-Tac Airport.
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When Sound Transit Light Rail connects to Lynnwood, they'll be able to take a train all the way to Sea-Tac.
“I think that would be great cause that would avoid this bus stop right here. Because we're going to catch the Light Rail,” Koch said.
Light Rail has already proven to be a popular way to get from Angle Lake near Sea-Tac airport to Seattle's University district n Sound Transit estimates 68,000 daily riders when the Lynnwood line opens.
The $1.2 billion in federal money will cover about 36 percent of the cost of the project.
“We were quite anxious especially as budget proposals would come forward from the administration to terminate this funding pipeline but that was largely rejected by Congress and not just Democrats in Congress, said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff.
Rogoff says Sound Transit has moved to trim what would have been a $500 million cost overrun caused by design changes and a hot real estate market.
“Importantly though, people are going to have an option. When we open to Lynnwood, people are going to be able to get from Lynnwood to downtown in about 28 minutes. Compare that with the soul crushing congestion that they deal with right now.”
Congestion that Kevin Hart really wants to avoid by riding the train.
“When I'm in Seattle I do. But I actually avoid going to Seattle because it gets worse going down there.”
The current schedule calls for light rail to arrive in Lynnwood by 2024, but then get to arrive in Everett by 2036.
Cox Media Group
