The shifting plans could mean Sound Transit will once again be on the hook for offering an alternative after falling short on promised service to First Hill.įirst Hill was originally lined up for a station of its own in 1996 with the start of light rail planning in Seattle. Thursday’s vote doesn’t kill that hope - but it does push it further from reality. The change drops connectivity approved by voters in 2016, moves the hub station to Pioneer Square, and will add a station in the desolate SoDo industrial area, blocks south of Uwajimaya Asian Market.Ī proposal that would create a large light rail facility at Union Station is also still possible but was not supported during Thursday’s session.ĬHS reported here on efforts in the First Hill neighborhood to support planning t hat kept the Midtown Station alive. Instead of a long-promised transit hub in the Chinatown-International District (CID) and a station in Midtown on the doorstep of First Hill, the official study will now include a brand new “North and South of CID” alignment. The Urbanist explained the maneuverings here:
Another south of the ID would also be required to manage the future light rail traffic flows as the system branches out to Ballard and West Seattle.
The governing board voted 15-1 Thursday to pursue the “North of C-ID” option hinging on a last minute proposal backed by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell that will create one of the likely twin stations at 4th and James. But the split would have repercussions up and down the city including eliminating the planned Midtown Station near 4th and Madison that would serve as a relatively nearby access point for the neighborhoods of First Hill. The Sound Transit board has set a new path for its planned light rail expansions by embracing a plan that would split a light rail station in the heart of the International District into two smaller stations north and south of Chinatown that proponents say would be less disruptive to the communities and small businesses of the area.
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