The Sound Transit Board of Directors votes on Resolution R2026-11, adjusting the ST3 light rail plan due to a $34.5 billion funding gap. West Seattle Link loses its Avalon station, Ballard Link gets only planning money, and Tacoma Dome Link is preserved but faces future cuts. The decision reflects a pattern of cost overruns and may lead to future ballot measures.
The Sound Transit Board of Directors will vote Thursday afternoon on a resolution that determines which projects from the 2016 voter-approved ST3 plan will move forward and which will be delayed or cut.
The meeting at 1:30 p.m. at Union Station in Seattle comes after months of public discussion and committee meetings, with the board facing a $34.5 billion funding shortfall. Resolution R2026-11 updates the $53.8 billion plan to align with the agency's actual revenue projections, marking the most significant adjustment to the program since its approval nine years ago.
Under the proposed plan, the West Seattle Link extension will be built but without the Avalon station, disappointing residents who expected full service to that area. The Tacoma Dome Link extension remains fully funded, though its more difficult segments may face future cost-cutting. The Ballard Link extension receives only planning funding, meaning construction will not begin as originally scheduled. Everett Link Phase 1 is included, but additional phases for Everett are deferred indefinitely.
The board will also delay the next Long-Range Plan update to 2028, pushing forward the timeline for future expansions. The shortfall amounts to roughly $10,000 per person within the taxing district, which includes about 3.4 million people in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. Sound Transit collects revenue through property taxes, sales taxes, and car tab fees. A 2021 Ford F-150 owner in the district pays $615 annually in car tabs, compared to $108 in Grant County outside the district.
Critics argue that the gap reflects systemic underestimation of costs and that the current shortfall may not be the last. The vote is expected to pass, but observers note that Sound Transit has never completed a major project on budget. This pattern suggests that the agency may return to voters with another measure in the future to fund the remaining promises, potentially called ST4 or a supplemental package
Sound Transit ST3 Plan Funding Shortfall Light Rail Cuts Car Tabs
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