At its monthly meeting on Thursday, the Sound Transit Board of Directors faced pointed public criticism regarding its major projects and financial strategy, with many commenters tying their concerns to the agency's ongoing "Enterprise Initiative". The initiative, designed to address significant cost pressures and funding gaps within the agency, was a recurring theme as citizens called for reevaluating expensive projects, enhancing transparency, and prioritizing core services.

Board Chair Dave Somers opened the meeting by acknowledging the Enterprise Initiative as a high-priority effort to manage the capital program amidst "uncertain economic times" and within the agency's financial capacity. He noted that board committees have been actively engaged in discussions on cost-saving opportunities, financial enhancements, and long-range planning. "This will continue to be a high priority for the agency," Summers stated, emphasizing the need for collaboration to achieve the goals of the ST3 project.

However, during the public comment period, several speakers expressed skepticism and urged the board to use the initiative as an opportunity for a fundamental reassessment of its plans.

Maggie Fimia, representing Smarter Transit, directly challenged the board to use the Enterprise Initiative to clearly define the problems it aims to solve, such as reducing car use and supporting communities. Fimeia argued that the current ST3 plan fails to achieve these goals, citing data suggesting that even with full buildout, light rail will carry only 3% of the region's 24 million daily trips. Her colleague, Victor Bishop, a professional traffic engineer, was more blunt, calling the initiative a "golden opportunity" for the board to "seriously consider why you even exist". He urged the board to "rethink the link," suggesting that the initiative should be more than a "minor cost cutting exercise on the fringe".

Echoing this sentiment, Marilyn Kennell told the board it faced a "$35 billion budget gap and a reputational bankruptcy," framing the Enterprise Initiative as a promise of "transparency, accountability, and inclusivity". She and others advocated for canceling the West Seattle Link extension, arguing that doing so would save $11 billion and restore public faith.

Other public comments during the nearly hour-long session included:

• Chinatown International District (CID): Advocates urged the board to adopt Board Member Claudia Balducci's plan to use the existing CID station as a hub, thereby deferring a costly second tunnel and protecting the neighborhood from disruptive construction.

• Stride Bus Rapid Transit: Representatives from Lake Forest Park argued that a costly segment of the Stride 3 project offered minimal time savings while requiring the removal of 400 trees and generating 3,500 industrial truckloads of debris.

• System Capacity: One transportation planning engineer warned that the downtown tunnel's capacity was already tapped out by the Lynnwood extension, questioning the feasibility of the Everett extension without a clear plan to address this bottleneck.

• Accessibility and Safety: Commenters also brought forward personal concerns, including repeated service refusals for a disabled rider using a mobility device and the lack of enforcement of rules against playing audio without headphones, which creates an unpleasant and sometimes unsafe environment for riders.

The board also heard from supporters of expansion. One speaker, representing Seattle Subway, referenced a viral meme to express that "Seattleites are like the autistic zombie desperate for more trains" and argued that if taxpayers are going to pay more, they should get more transit in return. Another resident and organizer from the CID spoke in favor of expansion, noting that Seattle needs to accommodate a growing population and that transit is essential for creating an equitable future for the region.

Following public comment, the board proceeded with its business agenda, approving several budget amendments and contract-related motions, but the public's message was clear: as the Enterprise Initiative moves forward, many in the community are watching closely and demanding substantive changes, not just adjustments at the margins.