Sound Transit Advances West Seattle Light Rail Vote as Seattle Appeals Transit Corridor Housing Ruling

Sound Transit is moving ahead with light rail actions in West Seattle and Ballard. FOX 13 Seattle reported that Sound Transit is set to vote on West Seattle light rail. In related West Seattle light rail developments, the West Seattle Blog reported that Sound Transit has made more property acquisitions and scheduled an information session next week for West Seattle businesses. Meanwhile, The Urbanist reported that Sound Transit worked to assuage concerns about reaching Ballard, with the headline quoting the pledge, 'We're Not Going to Stop.'

Housing and homelessness policies tied to city corridors and vehicles are also seeing legal and financial developments. CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News reported that Seattle is going to court after a ruling froze a plan for 6-story neighborhood centers along transit corridors. Elsewhere in the city's housing and homelessness response, The Center Square reported that Seattle taxpayers will spend an estimated $10M to transition homeless people out of RVs.

Across the bus network and local ballot, several reports examined service levels, transit funding and election operations. KNKX reported that a transit sales tax on the ballot would expand bus service in Seattle. In other election news, KIRO 7 News Seattle and MyNorthwest.com reported that USPS bins with elections ballots were discovered in dumpsters at Seattle's Golden Gardens. Regarding daily bus operations, the Tacoma News Tribune examined why commuter buses between Pierce County and Seattle keep getting canceled, while the Seattle Transit Blog reported that Route 545 does not save as much time as riders might think. Sound Transit also announced TransitCon 2026, a Sound Transit Youth Conference.

Ferry routes and maritime initiatives are also seeing updates in Seattle, King County and Washington state. The Kitsap Sun reported that a private ferry line will run a Seattle to Poulsbo route during the holidays. Looking at county ferry finances, The Economic Times reported that King County's water taxis, which operate two routes connecting Vashon Island and West Seattle to downtown Seattle, faced low fare cost recovery in 2023. At the state level, KING5.com, The Business Journals and PNW Daily reported that Washington's governor signed a first-ever partnership agreement and ocean innovation pact with Denmark on clean energy and maritime innovation.