Episode Details

West Seattle’s light rail is now slated for 2035—three years later than the latest estimate and a massive leap from the 2030 goal set when voters approved funding in 2016. The project demands a new bridge over the Duwamish River, plus stations in Delridge and at Alaska Junction. Rising costs, tricky engineering, and inflation have repeatedly pushed back deadlines: after shifting to 2032 due to inflation, Sound Transit now adds another three years, citing soaring expenses and the need to manage ballooning budgets. Originally budgeted at $2.3 billion, the price has jumped to nearly $5 billion, driven by land costs, complex geology, and construction inflation. To cut costs, they’ve scaled back the Sodo station, tweaked track designs, and canceled the Avalon Station. Despite delays, progress continues: they’ve acquired 55 key properties, ramped up engineering work, and secured agreements to relocate power lines. Federal grants remain a hopeful but uncertain lifeline as Sound Transit navigates the messy realities of building major transit infrastructure amid shifting timelines and skyrocketing costs.

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