Sound Transit will not consider alternative SLU station

SEATTLE — The Sound Transit board decided Thursday not to consider another location for a new light rail station in South Lake Union.

The Sound Transit board was considering moving the proposed site for the new station, part of the Ballard Link extension, to 5th Avenue North and Harrison Street, two and a half blocks west of the Current preferred location at 7th Avenue North and Harrison.

A feasibility study concluded that the 5th and Harrison locations would have provided more convenient access to Seattle Center and avoided closures on Westlake Avenue.

However, the study also found that the 7th and Harrison locations would generate 2% higher ridership, which would equate to 3,000 additional trips per day and be more convenient for access to the SLU core.

Ultimately, moving to 5th and Harrison could have delayed the opening of the Ballard Link extension by 10 to 24 months and would have cost between $500 million and $1 billion more.

According to Sound Transit, their community outreach showed there was “some interest” in more convenient access to Seattle Center, but there was “broad interest” in limiting delays and cost increases .

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell initially supported the idea for the 5th and Harrison location, but withdrew his support following the study and staff recommendations.

“I don’t think at this point there’s any debate about whether 5th and Harrison is feasible. I will not present any motion to support a new preferred alternative. Just because number one, I could read the tea leaves, but number two, the 10 month delay and the $500 million north of that price tag, I think I would put my colleagues at a disadvantage,” Harrell said.

Amazon has issued statements against the 7th and Harrison locations throughout this process, citing concerns about parts of Westlake Avenue being closed for years.

“Our goal has always been to preserve and capitalize on Seattle’s ongoing economic recovery, improve commutes for our 50,000 employees who work here, and support the dozens of local small businesses and organizations in the neighborhood who will be affected. This decision makes it more difficult to achieve this goal,” Amazon said in a statement Thursday.

The Ballard Link Extension will add more than 7 miles of light rail service from downtown Seattle to Ballard, including the construction of nine new stations.

Commissioning is planned for 2039.

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