Preparing for Light Rail Expansion

To capitalize on the investments of Seattle light rail expansion, the City has worked with Sound Transit and community members to re-envision the streets around the future light rail stations in West Seattle. The vision and designs for these streets will guide future development and implementation through the West Seattle Light Rail Area Street Concept Plan. This plan is being developed with input from community members gathered from a survey and from meetings with stakeholders. In March and June 2024, we showed conceptual street designs and heard feedback that refined our proposed design at each station area. 

The same process will be undertaken with the Ballard Link Extension. 

Dozens of different types of permits will need to be reviewed and approved by City staff, covering everything from water and sewer utilities to electrical work to street use during and after construction. The City is working with Sound Transit to streamline the permitting process so that we will have the time and people to ensure all work meets city codes and requirements. Over the next decade, permitting will be sequenced to provide a steady stream of work while avoiding backlogs in the process. 

The City of Seattle, working with Sound Transit, is updating land use codes related to light rail projects. Most of the current codes will stay the same while allowing for more flexibility in meeting requirements. Under the revised codes, requirements could be created based on specific sites, instead of the current one-size-fits-all approach.

The City is a cooperating agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and an Agency of Jurisdiction under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The City reviews Sound Transit’s Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension projects to ensure that Sound Transit’s environmental review adequately evaluates project impacts, proposes appropriate mitigation measures, and complies with the City’s legal requirements.  
 
Sound Transit published a Draft EIS for the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions in January 2022. The City submitted comments on the Draft EIS. Since the January 2022 Draft EIS, the two independent lines have been moving forward on different timelines, as have their environmental reviews. 

• Read the West Seattle Ballard Link Extension Draft EIS (January 2022)
• Read the comments on the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions Draft EIS 

West Seattle Link Extension

Sound Transit is planning to publish a Final EIS for West Seattle in September 2024.  
Read more about the West Seattle Link Extension 
 
Ballard Link Extension

Sound Transit conducted additional analyses on the Ballard Link Extension. Sound Transit is publishing another Draft EIS for the Ballard Link Extension because there have been significant changes (e.g., new station locations) since the January 2022 Draft EIS.  
Read more about the Ballard Link Extension