When Sound Transit first announced their “enterprise initiative” to address the agency’s $34.5 billion budget gap they said it would consider a wide range of alternatives. But it has now become clear they have done no such thing. The whole exercise has been structured as a tug-of-war among the subareas over which light rail extensions would be built and which would be deferred or canceled.
No serious consideration has been given to more cost-effective transit technologies, such as Bus Rapid Transit, automated rubber-tired shuttles, or even upgrading existing Sounder commuter rail service. The question of whether the proposed light rail extensions still make sense given the very high cost, low ridership, neighborhood impacts, and huge carbon footprint, hasn’t even been part of the discussion.