EVERETT — In the planning stages for more than five years, the visual depiction of a 16-mile light rail transit line from Lynnwood, Wash. north to downtown Everett offers three possible routes the final construction could take as the public is now asked to register its feedback and input to the Sound Transit Board for final decisions on the specific location of the $12 billion extension.
You can click the images below to see greater detail of the light rail’s potential northbound path from the current Lynnwood Station to the Alderwood Mall property, into South Everett, Paine Field Airport, Boeing plant and ultimately through central Everett to downtown Everett.
The green line depicting the light rail path represents the preferred line which branches off into potential alternative pathways for the light rail system colored in purple, pink, blue, or yellow. Note that the rail line’s path includes solid color, which indicates the rail track would be built at grade, or on the surface of the ground, and segmented color off set with white bars to show where the rail track would be built on an elevated guideway. The guideway portions of the Everett extension are necessary to cross existing roads like 196th St. SW in Lynnwood, 164th St. SW, and Evergreen Way–both in south Everett and at central Everett at Evergreen Way– to alleviate gated crossing points where cars would have to stop for light rail traffic.
The following maps are produced by Sound Transit as part of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, submitted for the public to read and evaluate, coinciding with the public comment period for neighbors, business owners, property owners and commuters to voice their preferences for how the final light rail line should be configured and at what financial cost it will take to complete this 15 year projected construction, to reach downtown Everett by 2041. The public comment period ends on November 2.
• Phase 1 (Lynnwood to SW Everett Industrial Center): Projected at $6.1 billion, with a targeted service opening in 2037.
• Phase 2 (SR 526/Evergreen to Everett Station): Projected at $3.4 billion, with a targeted service opening in 2041.
• Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) North: Projected at $2.1 billion.
• Provisional Station: The planned station at SR 99/Airport Road remains funded through the environmental review phase, but final design and construction funding is deferred.
• Parking Facilities: Specific local parking garage elements tied to the extension were moved to a deferred list until additional financial capacity is identified.
Sound Transit faces an estimated $34.5 billion budget deficit through 2046 for its Sound Transit 3 (ST3) light rail expansion program which was approved by voters in 2016. Light rail extensions and voter-approved plans for West Seattle and Ballard are being scaled back as a result of the light rail program cost over-runs.
To submit your feedback and preferences on the light rail service line extension from Lynnwood to Everett, including the location of stations and the Operations Maintenance Facility, e-mail comments should be sent to [email protected]. Emailed comments should include your name and return address. Comments may also be submitted on voicemail at 425-243-6255; be ready to give your name and city of residence or address on the voice mail system.
The following public meetings and forums are also set up for the public to attend regarding the final light rail extension route from Lynnwood to Everett.
Attend a public meeting/hearing:
Virtual meeting/hearing:
Oct. 6, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. add to calendar
Online via Zoom
In-person meetings/hearings:
Oct. 13, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Mariner High School, 200 120th St SW, Everett, WA 98204
Oct 15, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Carl Gipson Center, 3025 Lombard Ave, Everett, WA 98201
Oct. 21, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Lynnwood Neighborhood Center, 19509 64th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036
The Sound Transit Board has 10 members from King County, four members from Pierce County, three members from Snohomish County–Snohomish Co. Executive Dave Somers, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin and Lynnwood City Councilman Dave Parshall (SP?)–and one member from the state government level, the Washington State Secretary of Transportation. Somers serves as the Sound Transit Board Chair. Heather Kurtenbach is a Labor Liaison to the Sound Transit Board.
Public feedback is intended to advise the 18-member Sound Transit board which will ultimately vote on the final construction path in 2027 or 2028.
After the November 2 public comment period closes, Sound Transit staff are expected to take a year or more to formulate the Final Environmental Impact Statement, at which point in late 2027 or early 2028, the Sound Transit Board votes to confirm or modify preferred alignments and station locations after (or concurrent with) the Final EIS and subsequent federal Record of Decision by the Federal Transportation Administration.
Click the images below to launch a picture gallery for a clearer look at the proposed light rail pathway and potential station locations.
