The Sound Transit System Expansion Committee voted Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, to advance a major land acquisition measure for the West Seattle Link Extension, moving the light rail expansion closer to full board approval despite pushback from local property owners and residents.

Chaired pro tem by Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello in the absence of committee leadership, the panel gave a due pass recommendation to Resolution No. R2026-23. The resolution authorizes Sound Transit Chief Executive Officer Dow Constantine to acquire real property interests across 64 properties along the alignment, including the legal authority to acquire property via condemnation if necessary.

According to briefings presented by Real Estate Deputy Executive Director Wells Lawson and Commercial Director Jason Hampton, the 3.9-mile light rail extension will link SODO to West Seattle's Alaska Junction, cutting transit travel times between the two locations from approximately 30 minutes down to 16 minutes.

Download the full acquistion plan here

Property Acquisitions and Tunnel Staging

The requested real estate package includes three full fee acquisitions, alongside a mixture of permanent and temporary easements for aerial guideways, subsurface tunneling into the West Seattle hillside, and construction staging.

The largest full fee purchase involves the West Seattle Corporate Center, historically known as the Bartell Drugs headquarters. Lawson explained to committee members that acquiring this property is vital to supply additional laydown and truck staging space for tunnel excavation. Utilizing the site will allow heavy construction to proceed with minimal disruption to traffic patterns in the surrounding neighborhood and the nearby Nucor steel mill.

Transit officials emphasized that the acquisition package requires no new budget authorization, as the costs are fully covered under a project budget amendment approved by the board in August 2026.

Community Pushback and Board Debate

Despite staff assurances, written public comments submitted prior to the meeting demonstrated ongoing community resistance. Resident Marilyn Kennell urged the agency to halt the current acquisition process, while Bill Winfeld opposed property condemnations on the grounds that existing bus and vanpool connections are already successful for commuters. Commenter Martin Westerman criticized the resolution as a wasteful expenditure of taxpayer funds.

During committee discussions, King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain raised questions about the scope of legal authority granted under the resolution. Fain expressed concern over listing full tax parcel numbers in legal attachments, advocating for a minimal approach to property takings and suggesting staff return to the board if full acquisitions become necessary later.

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin offered a contrasting perspective, cautioning against board micromanagement during complex negotiations. Franklin pointed out that Sound Transit already has a strong financial incentive to minimize land takings because acquiring unnecessary property directly inflates overall project costs.

Lawson highlighted that real estate staff have piloted enhanced outreach strategies, holding nearly 300 individual meetings with property owners during the environmental phase, offering drop-in support sessions, and establishing parcel management plans to prevent acquired sites from becoming vacant community nuisances.

Associated West Seattle Actions and Next Steps

In a secondary action supporting the West Seattle extension, the committee recommended approval of Motion No. M2026-42. The $15 million agreement amendment with the City of Seattle will reimburse municipal departments, such as Seattle City Light and SDOT, for utility realignments and road work required along the light rail corridor.

Additionally, during a broader fleet update, agency staff noted that up to 125 new Series 3 light rail vehicles will be procured to serve future system extensions, including the West Seattle line.

Both Resolution No. R2026-23 and Motion No. M2026-42 now proceed to the full Sound Transit Board of Directors for final action at its Oct. 22, 2026 meeting.