Seattle's approach to the Racial Equity Toolkit, or RET for short, is a cornerstone of the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative. The vision of the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, which houses the Race and Social Justice Initiative Strategic Team is: A City of Liberated People where Communities Historically Impacted by Racism, Oppression, and Colonization Hold Power and Thrive. To do this requires ending individual racism, institutional racism, and structural racism by shifting real decision making power and equitable resources to those most harmed by a lingering legacy and reality of racism in our community. The Racial Equity Toolkit lays out a process and a set of questions to guide the development, implementation and evaluation of policies, initiatives, programs, and budget issues to address the impacts on racial equity.

Sound Transit is the City's partner in this work and the Racial Equity Toolkit is being carried out by both agencies for the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions (WSBLE). Collectively, the agencies have developed the following desired project-wide RET outcomes:

• Advance environmental and economic justice to improve economic and health outcomes for communities of color;
• Enhance mobility and access for communities of color and low-income populations;
• Create opportunities for equitable development that include expanding housing and community assets for communities of color;
• Avoid disproportionate impacts on communities of color and low-income populations;
• Create a sense of belonging for communities of color at all stations, making spaces where everyone sees themselves as belonging, feeling safe, and welcome; and
• Meaningfully involve communities of color and low-income populations in the project.

Station area specific outcomes have been developed for Chinatown-International District and Delridge stations:

• Chinatown-International District Station specific RET Outcomes:
• Limit harmful impacts of the project and work with impacted communities to identify opportunities to repair past harm;
• Maximize connections for all users;
• Community shapes decisions that impact them, through self-determination and with a 100-year vision for future generations.

• Delridge Station specific RET Outcomes:
• An excellent transfer experience including bus and rail integration and options for RET community-desired amenities provided at the station;
• Equitable transit-oriented development serving the community.

For a more in-depth look at the RET works by City of Seattle and Sound Transit, please see the following documents:

Environmental Review Phase (Febraury 2022)

Alternatives Development Phase (April 2019)

Level 2 Memo (September 2018)

City of Seattle and Sound Transit are working together to plan and design the new light rail stations. The graphic above shows that the City and Sound Transit partner to plan the Station Context area, which is the area within one to two blocks from the station. Station Context planning includes design choices for the station itself, the open space around the station, bus stops, and more.

The City is responsible for working with communities to plan the broader Station Area, which is typically the area within a half-mile from the station, but may be larger depending on neighborhood contexts.

Sound Transit worked closely with the City to produce the Station Planning Progress Report, which documents how the proposed stations could fit into their respective neighborhoods at the Station Context level.

• Station Planning Progress Report – West Seattle Link stations (January 2022)
  Includes stations in West Seattle and SODO
• Station Planning Progress Report – Ballard Link stations (January 2022)
  Includes stations between Chinatown International District and Ballard

After Sound Transit identifies the final light rail station locations in early 2024, the City of Seattle will begin its Station Area Planning process and work with communities to:

• Plan walking, biking, and bus improvements to help you get to stations.
• Identify opportunities for housing, shopping, and open spaces to create affordable, livable neighborhoods around new stations.
• Establish priorities to inform project permitting.

The City is working to implement its Race and Social Justice Initiative through this project, with special focus on communities of color whose neighborhoods have historically shouldered the burdens of large infrastructure projects.

Here you can find pages that focus on planning efforts related to specific stations.

West Seattle Link Extension Stations

The West Seattle Link Extension project adds 4.7 miles of light rail service from Downtown Seattle to West Seattle, includes four new stations and a bridge over the Duwamish River.

The Sound Transit Board identified the preferred alternative for the West Seattle Link Extension in July 2022, please view their press release and Board Motion for more details.

City's planning for West Seattle Link stations:

• Alaska Junction & Avalon Stations
• Delridge Station
• SODO Station - page in development

Ballard Link Extension Stations

The Ballard Link Extension project adds 7.1 miles of light rail service from Downtown Seattle to Ballard, includes nine new stations, a second Downtown transit tunnel, and a water crossing under or over Salmon Bay.

The Sound Transit Board identified the preferred alternative for the Ballard Link Extension in March 2023, please view their press release and Board Motion for more details.

City's planning for Ballard Link stations:

• Chinatown International District Stations - page in development
• Downtown Stations - page in development
• Seattle Center/ Uptown Station - page in development
• Interbay & Smith Cove Stations - page in development
• Ballard Station - page in development