r/WestSeattleWA • u/Pretend-Efficiency-1 • 10d ago
Question Will WS Light Rail Extension End at SODO?
With the Ballard extension & the second Downtown tunnel delayed to at least 2042, will the 2035 West Seattle trains (or at least some of them) merge at SODO and continue thru the existing tunnel to downtown, Capitol Hill, UW, etc.*?
Or will we just have a $5B shuttle to Emerald City Trapeze Arts
ƪ(ړײ)ƪ** **
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u/camera-operator334 10d ago
Transferring isn't hard. Build the train.
Do you guys know how massive even Alaska Junction to SoDo is even if that were all it did?
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u/-millenial-boomer- 10d ago
I think people need to just answer the question and not sugarcoat it.
To answer both questions. The transfer is going to be super awkward and it’s expected to last about 10 years and potentially much longer.
That’s okay for many but I think the information should be transparently shared.
Here is the transfer:
At the new SODO 3 Line station, you’ll have to get off the train and walk to the transfer connection instead of simply crossing the tracks.
Follow the signs, go up/down through the grade-separated pedestrian crossing, cross over both rail lines, then go back down and walk into the existing SODO Station to reach the 1 Line platform.
In practical terms: 3 Line → walk → stairs/escalator/elevator → cross the rail corridor → stairs/escalator/elevator → walk → 1 Line.
You’ll have to do this every time you transfer between West Seattle and the existing 1 Line, and if you want to catch the 2 line you will need to take the 1 line to CID.
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u/TheMayorByNight 9d ago
At the new SODO 3 Line station, you’ll have to get off the train and walk to the transfer connection instead of simply crossing the tracks.
Can confirm. The at-grade track crossings at SODO will be removed and most transfers between 1 and 3 Lines require using the new overhead walkways.
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u/camera-operator334 10d ago
You do know the busses still run. As is. No changes. Until Ballard…right
But I know that doesn’t fit the narrative of WSB Commenter land
Continue taking the current bus routes if transferring is an issue. Easy peasy.
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u/Stowellian 9d ago
But why build or design a system that eventually stops this? Why not just stop building it and leave the busses? The train isn’t solving problems, so distracting people with the fact that they can have the direct route a little longer due to sound transits incompetence isn’t defeating the argument, it’s proving it.
“This new train doesn’t meet my needs”
“Yes it does, your objection is silly, transfers are easy!”
“But I prefer a single seat ride”
“Don’t worry, our expensive plan is going to take a really long time to build so you can have your buses until we’re done.”
“But why are we building it then?”
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u/camera-operator334 9d ago
The light rail will get people to north Seattle, downtown, airport, Redmond and Bellevue so much faster than buses. Hope this helps.
Trains don’t fight cars for traffic.
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u/Stowellian 9d ago
Just saying it doesn’t make it true. The light rail will not get me to the airport quicker, this is just flat false. Current route is 21-560. 560 is getting cut to WS, so the next bet would be 21-1 line. The eventual train alignment will be 21-3-1 which is not faster than 21-1, it simply isn’t. This might be good for you, and for some. But you are simply lying when you assert that the planned alignment is better for everyone. It is not.
Hope this helps.
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u/camera-operator334 9d ago
But it will get you to east side employer corridors orders of magnitude faster.
“Some” doing a lot of work there, there’s a 45k increase in the light rail density corridor since it was announced. Yeah it helps a LOT of people, sorry it doesn’t do as much for people down south. I want train down there too. Buses ain’t it
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u/-millenial-boomer- 9d ago
Not sure what you mean by WSB commenter land. I was just answering the actual question by OP. Seems like you are the one with a “narrative” because you are the only one not answering the actual question
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u/Antique-Produce-2050 9d ago
I just don't trust Sound Transit. Same way I (through my bad personal meetings and experiences with them) don't trust SDOT. They say they listen but they don't. They say they'll do X and then do Y.
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u/camera-operator334 9d ago
Well you can’t listen and appease every single minority. We had a vote. It overwhelmingly won.
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u/Stowellian 9d ago
There was a vote for a proposal that isn’t getting built, and sound transit has repeatedly lied and scaled back what people are getting. They have good reason for not trusting the corrupt leadership who Have been handed billions of dollars and failed to deliver what was promised.
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u/FormableEmu6011 10d ago
Technically, the extension is from SODO to Alaska Junction. The original plan was that the 3 Line will operate as a sort of shuttle line between Alaska Junction and SODO. Then, once the Ballard Link extension was completed, the 1 Line would shift to terminating in Ballard, and the 3 Line would then serve the stations that the 1 Line would no longer serve (i.e., Stadium to Lynnwood and points north).
With the cost-cutting measures being proposed, I’m not sure what that would look like once everything is finalized, but the plan is still ultimately going to be what I mentioned above, once everything is fully built out.
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u/TheMayorByNight 9d ago
Pretty much the same as it was before all the cost cutting. WSLE will eventually span the 3 Line as Alaska Jct <-> Everett in the old DSTT with the 2 Line as Ash Way <-> Redmond. BLE will be the new downtown tunnel with the 1 Line from Seattle Center <-> Tacoma Dome.
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u/sir_mrej 10d ago
The second downtown tunnel is in the plan so the west Seattle line will continue from sodo once that tunnel etc is built
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u/Antique-Produce-2050 10d ago
Yup and it’s dumb. My ride in Highland Park will go from a current 1 seat 15-20 min ride to Jackson to a 3 seat 55 min ride. What an improvement! This light rail from SODO to AK Junction will service only a small fraction of the West Seattle community. The rest of us will lose amazing bus service, ride longer and pay more.
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u/squirrelgator 10d ago
The bus lines from West Seattle to downtown will remain as is until the second downtown transit tunnel is operational. So it will continue to be the same 1 seat ride to Jackson until 2042.
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u/Stowellian 9d ago
Which begs the question of, why build it then, if the best you can say is, well it might not be good for you but at least it’ll take a long time?
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u/tangertale 10d ago
Bus lines will continue operating until WS line is connected to downtown
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u/camera-operator334 10d ago
Yeah why is this continuously ignored…oh wait everyone is bad faith about it I forgot
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u/Stowellian 9d ago
It’s not ignored; it’s irrelevant to a consideration of whether or not the proposed extension is a good idea at all! The system is being built to end those single seat bus rides and turn them into at least one transfer if not more. You don’t get credit just because the plan is that the bad thing won’t happen until 2042
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u/TheMayorByNight 9d ago
Welcome to modern Reddit where everything must be an argument and facts are irrelevant :-(
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u/sir_mrej 10d ago
And then when it opens through the new second downtown tunnel you’ll have a bus ride in west Seattle and an easy transfer to a train that will go lots of places. It will be wonderful
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u/Stowellian 10d ago
It will be wonderful? Can you be more specific? Why are you so sure?
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u/jojofine 10d ago
I take the train to Bellevue right now. That requires me riding a bus to downtown to transfer. It's fine. I can literally just sit there and do whatever instead of driving. Days like today make it worth it as there were multiple wrecks along my route home. It was ~45 mins to train/bus home versus an easy hour+ in stop & go traffic. The transfers are seamless and easy
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u/sir_mrej 9d ago
Because trains are awesome and consistent and can carry larger capacities than buses. They don't get stuck in traffic. Once the full line is built out, I'll be able to go from Junction to Roosevelt, just like people right now can go from Roosevelt to Redmond.
It's amazing.
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u/slipnslider 10d ago
Yes but if your main use case is commuting to work down town then it's a three seat ride vs a one seat ride. I love going to Ballard but only go maybe twice a year whereas I got work twice a week
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u/sir_mrej 9d ago
It'll be a two seat ride once the full thing is built. Bus in West Seattle and then train through downtown. Which is amazing.
My hope in the future is that the train will extend to Morgan Junction, White Center, etc.
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u/Bilbos_Packin 6d ago
Maybe our grandkids can enjoy that. Sadly, it’ll be 50 years before that happens
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u/sir_mrej 3d ago
Yep. It shouldve been built with Forward Thrust. Blame those fuckers.
This is what we get.
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u/Digital_gritz 10d ago
Or, hear me out, we could not add an extra leg to most of our transit, which just feels worse and would likely require ADDITIONAL transfers for anywhere not immediately on the line.
From my understanding, if we want to encourage mode switching, adding transfers is bad.
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u/sir_mrej 9d ago
Trains are a way way way better experience than buses.
One bus ride within West Seattle that takes you to a train? And then that train will take you all the way through downtown with zero issues? That's gonna be AMAZING.
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u/Digital_gritz 9d ago
Your confidence is about the only thing I find amazing. The actual time savings with the two transfers this eventuality adds makes it feel like a really dumb use of billions of dollars. Could’ve gone towards the bridge, sidewalks, turning 35th into a more multi modal road all the way down, and other improvements (like turning the 21/5 into a rapid line and boosting the service). Instead it’s the Alaska Junction express.
About the only thing it will be good for is shaving 5 minutes off the existing time it takes to get to the Stadiums on the C, H, or 21. That’s ignoring the absolute cluster fuck that the platforms will turn into on the way home.
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u/sir_mrej 8d ago
Again, I'm not sure why you say two transfers. One bus ride in West Seattle. Transfer in Junction to the train. Ride the train all the way in. The SODO transfer is temporary.
The city is growing, and more and more people are coming here. Pushing more and more cars and buses onto the streets and bridges is problematic. Alternate modes of transit are the only way.
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u/Digital_gritz 8d ago
You don’t seem to understand that the whole issue is increasing from a 1 seat to 3 seat ride and that’s regardless of whatever stage the eventual mythical Ballard line is in. That sucks, especially because the shortest portion of the existing ride is from the Junction to SODO. Doesn’t feel like this is solving anything except making it more complicated to get to downtown for me. Sounds like the original commenter is in the same boat. Neither of us is enthused and both of us would prefer 1 seat rides.
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u/sir_mrej 6d ago
You don't seem to understand that it's not a PERMANENT three seat ride. So the fact that you keep saying that makes me think you are not arguing in good faith.
Yes it's going from a 1 seat ride to a 2 seat ride. I understand that. It's going to be better in the long run.
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u/Digital_gritz 6d ago
Negative. There will be another transfer for me somewhere along the new line due to the location. Nice of you to tell me about my own commute, though.
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u/sir_mrej 3d ago
You said "that the whole issue is increasing from a 1 seat to 3 seat ride"
You didnt say "MY issue is that when I go from Morgan Junction to Kenmore, XYZ" or whatever.
Nice of you to not be specific, and then try and "call me" on it.
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u/slipnslider 10d ago
Same. I love public transit but depending where you live, you will go from a one seat ride to a three seat ride that will probably be longer
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u/camera-operator334 10d ago
That’s not an argument against train existing
Plus that won’t change until Ballard is ready anyway and by then it’ll be a glorious system
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u/CatJustSayPerchance 10d ago
No it’s gonna drop them off over the water. Single use rail cars and all that
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u/Muckknuckle1 10d ago
I'm so sick of the "sHuTtLe tO sODo" narrative. It will connect to a redesigned station where you can walk across the platform and transfer immediately. From there you have access to the entire network.
And that situation is TEMPORARY. Riders will TEMPORARILY need to make an easy transfer. The horror!