In advance of the  Sound Transit Board of Directors Retreat scheduled for May 29 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, light rail opponents have issued an open letter criticizing Sound Transit’s leadership and decision-making, particularly regarding the West Seattle Link Extension (WSLE). They argue that the agency has mismanaged finances, overstated ridership forecasts, and caused environmental harm while failing to properly integrate transit systems. They accuse the board of altering voter-approved plans without new public votes, approving poorly located or inaccessible stations, and neglecting maintenance issues like broken ticket machines and elevators.

The retreat serves as a strategic planning session where board members discuss policies, oversight, and long-term transit projects.

The West Seattle Link Extension was approved by voters in November 2016 as part of the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) plan. The Sound Transit Board selected the final route and station locations in October 2024 after reviewing environmental documents and public feedback. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued its Record of Decision (ROD) on April 29, 2025, marking the completion of the environmental review process and allowing the project to advance into the design phase.

Nearly 100 people signed the letter.

Greetings Board Members,

Since 2016, we have watched Sound Transit fabulously overestimate its West Seattle ridership forecasts, miscalculate its SODO right of way needs by 35%, and run itself $12 billion into debt. This board has ignored the irreparable environmental damage that the West Seattle link extension will cause, then apparently colluded with the city of Seattle to hide those facts from the federal government. 

You have changed voter approved plans without new public votes, then told us you cannot change voter-approved plans. You have OK-ed stations that are barely accessible to riders — like Rainier AND East Main, and stations sited nowhere near residential centers, like South Main and those proposed for Ballard.  And you have yawned at ticket machines, elevators and escalators that don’t work. 

We have shown you how hilly cities around the world have integrated other transit modes into their bus and light rail systems, then heard you say it’s impossible to do that in Seattle. The Washington Secretary of Transportation, who knows more about transportation than anyone on this board, has let this board make these bad choices with no comment, and joined you in approving more than $2 billion per mile to spend on WSLE. 

Is this what you call competent leadership and oversight of Sound Transit? Is this what you call acting in your voters’ best interests? Two of you are running for King County Executive now. How do you expect voters to see you as credible when you mismanage your responsibilities this badly? You can salvage some credibility if you reconsider or scrap the WSLE proposal, and focus now on providing better transit for all your voters from downtown to West Seattle. Or you can just continue to make things worse. It’s your choice. Vastly superior alternatives are available for far lower costs, far quicker implementation, less risk, and fewer neighborhood /environmental impacts.

 

Citizens Concerned About West Seattle