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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

Voters to decide whether Lynnwood gets light rail by 2023

By Oscar Halpert
Enterprise editor

A light rail line could come to Lynnwood in 15 years, if voters approve the latest Sound Transit proposal next November.

The transit agency’s board of directors Thursday, July 24 agreed to place an $17.8 billion plan on the ballot this year that would extend Link Light Rail to the Lynnwood Transit Center by 2023. Sixteen of 18 board members voted in favor of the plan. To get needed votes, board members agreed to add more regional bus service than originally planned.

The new line, from Northgate to Lynnwood, would be paid for with a sales tax increase of 5 cents per $10 spent.

Last November, voters rejected a $30.8 billion plan called Roads and Transit that would have brought light rail to the Ash Way Park & Ride lot near 164th Street Southwest and I-5 by 2027. That proposal also called for extensive roadway improvements statewide.

Lynnwood Mayor Don Gough welcomed the news Friday, July 25.

“What I’ve been saying all along to Sound Transit is ‘build us the backbone that you promised us in 1995,’” he said. “This gives us a real benefit in the short-term.”

Sound Transit had earlier considered a 12-year option that would have left Snohomish County light rail off the table. But Snohomish County leaders who sit on the Sound Transit Board, including Executive Aaron Reardon, Edmonds City Council woman Deanna Dawson and Everett City Councilman Paul Roberts were adamantly opposed to the 12-year version.

Mountlake Terrace’s City Council unanimously supported extending light rail to Lynnwood because that city would also get a stop along the route.

Lynnwood’s City Council approved a resolution supporting the 15-year option.

But Lynnwood Councilman Ted Hikel, who opposed the resolution with colleague Jim Smith, said it will cost too much to bring light rail to Lynnwood by 2023.

“We can’t afford to put in a program that is not fiscally responsible,” Hikel said. “Think of how many lanes of bus-only pavement we could put in . . .”

He said the transit board looked at the political tea leaves and decided “a big Democratic turnout is going to be there and they will vote for it.”

“I’m just astounded that people aren’t looking at the dollars involved,” he said.