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===Light rail planning and financial issues=== In November 1999, Sound Transit selected its preferred route for the {{convert|24|mi|km|adj=mid}} [[Central Link]] corridor between [[Northgate Transit Center]] in Seattle and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, which included a surface section in the [[Rainier Valley, Seattle|Rainier Valley]] area. The {{convert|21|mi|km|adj=mid}} section from the [[University District, Seattle|University District]] to the airport, which had been identified as the initial segment in Sound Move, was estimated to cost $1.85{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1850000000|1999}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 19, 1999 |title=Route for Link light rail approved by transit board |page=C1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The figure exceeded the original budget for the project in Sound Move because of overruns attributed to new elements as well as increased land prices.<ref name="HistoryLink">{{cite web |last=Cohen |first=Josh |date=November 28, 2017 |title=Sound Transit (King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties) |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/8002 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> Construction of the section between Northgate and the University District was contingent on receiving additional funding from the federal government, which had appropriated large grants in the 1990s but was beginning to reduce its funding for new transit projects.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=February 23, 1999 |title=Light rail to Northgate? Maybe not for 12 years |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19990223/2945777/light-rail-to-northgate-maybe-not-for-12-years----report-says-finances-limited-taxing-authority-might-delay-expansion |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> Earlier meetings had criticized the use of surface sections through [[Tukwila, Washington|Tukwila]] and the Rainier Valley, where a more expensive tunnel was rejected, due to their potential effects on displacement and travel time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clements |first=Barbara |date=February 26, 1999 |title=Sound Transit board spurs big tickets |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sound-transit-board-spu/161345966/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Quigg |first=David |date=October 30, 1999 |title=Impacts of light-rail line spelled out |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-impacts-of-light-rail-l/161346059/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The Central Link route included a {{convert|4.5|mi|km|adj=mid}} tunnel between Downtown Seattle and the University District with intermediate stations on [[First Hill, Seattle|First Hill]] and [[Capitol Hill, Seattle|Capitol Hill]] that crossed under [[Portage Bay]].<ref>{{cite news |last=McGann |first=Chris |date=September 13, 2000 |title=Sound Transit has enough cash |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The original budget for the tunnel was $557{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|557000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} but Sound Transit's selected contractor produced a low bid that was $171{{nbsp}}million higher (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|171000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} than expected. The area's poor soils and other changes to the design led to a $680{{nbsp}}million increase (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|680000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} in the estimated cost of the project, which drew criticism from local media and elected officials.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=37–38, 47}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 13, 2000 |title=Light-rail costs soars $1 billion |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20001213/TTGI2KF2J/light-rail-cost-soars-1-billion |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The [[Federal Transit Administration]] (FTA) had previously agreed to a $500{{nbsp}}million grant (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|500000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} for the tunnel section based on the previous cost figures, but informed Sound Transit that major design changes would require a new agreement.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The full agreement was signed by the [[United States Secretary of Transportation|U.S. Secretary of Transportation]] shortly before he left office with the rest of the [[Clinton administration]], but it did not guarantee appropriations for the project would continue.<ref>{{cite news |last=McGann |first=Chris |date=January 20, 2001 |title=Feds sign off on light rail grant |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> [[File:Joni Earl at Airport Link Opening Ceremony (4198862613) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.7|[[Joni Earl]] (''pictured in 2009'') was the chief executive officer of Sound Transit from 2001 to 2014]] In January 2001, the new chair of the [[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies|U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation]] called for an audit of Sound Transit's finances to be conducted by the [[Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation|inspector general]] of the [[United States Department of Transportation|U.S. Department of Transportation]] before allowing for further federal grants on the light rail project.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> A private audit commissioned by Sound Transit determined that the agency's financial estimates had been "overly optimistic", lacked adequate contingencies, and were drawn from insufficient data.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|p=49}}</ref> Eight different citizens' groups called for various solutions to replace or dissolve the agency; among them were a new referendum, replacement of light rail with the planned [[Seattle Monorail Project|city monorail network]], or a [[free public transport|fare-free bus system]] endorsed by two former Washington governors.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=57–58, 77–79}}</ref> CEO Bob White resigned and was replaced by [[Joni Earl]], previously chief operating officer; she is credited with salvaging the light rail project and restoring public trust in Sound Transit.<ref name="PI-Earl2003">{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=68–69, 122–123}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=July 7, 2003 |title=Earl put agency back on track |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/earl-put-agency-back-on-track-1118835.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> Earl, an accountant who had little transit experience but was a [[city manager]] and deputy county executive under Drewel, sought to make the agency more transparent and produce a more realistic budget for its projects.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kershner |first=Jim |date=March 30, 2020 |title=Earl, Joni (b. 1953) |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/20989 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Muhlstein |first=Julie |date=January 17, 2020 |title=Light rail's tenacious supporter: Joni Earl at center of book |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/light-rails-tenacious-supporter-joni-earl-at-center-of-book/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The inspector general's interim report, released in April 2001, criticized the FTA and Sound Transit for advancing in the grant review process without having a firm cost estimate, which had changed several times due to modifications to the preferred project.<ref>{{cite news |last=Garber |first=Andrew |date=April 5, 2001 |title=Suspension of light-rail funds urged |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20010405/inspector05m0/suspension-of-light-rail-funds-urged |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> It recommended that federal funding for the project be withheld; new Transportation Secretary [[Norman Mineta]] then announced a hold on releasing funds from the federal earmark, which would not be redistributed while Sound Transit resubmitted its plans.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=97–99}}</ref> The editorial board of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' published a call to pull the plug on the Link light rail project, while the cost overruns drew negative comparisons to the [[Big Dig]] project in [[Boston]].<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=102, 105}}</ref> The city's other daily newspaper, the ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer|Post-Intelligencer]]'', alleged that the Sound Move budget had concealed $350{{nbsp}}million in contingency funds (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|350000000|2001}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to reduce the estimated cost of light rail, similar to a criminal case of [[securities fraud]] uncovered in the Big Dig megaproject. After Sound Transit officials presented their evidence to the ''P-I'' editorial team, the story was retracted and a correction was published on the front page.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=109–115}}</ref> A shortened, {{convert|14|mi|km|adj=mid}} version of the Central Link project between Tukwila and Downtown Seattle was proposed as the initial operating segment for the network; it would cost $2.1{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|2100000000|2001}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to construct under the revised budget estimates but would not reach Sea–Tac Airport.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Garber |first=Andrew |date=September 28, 2001 |title=Shorter light-rail line OK'd |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20010928/sound28m/shorter-light-rail-line-okd |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The revised plan, with a completion date set for 2009, was approved by the Sound Transit Board in September 2001 and formally adopted two months later by a 14–2 vote.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 30, 2001 |title=Light rail wins final approval |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The change in the project's scope from the original Sound Move plan was challenged in a lawsuit filed in February 2002 by an opposition group funded by Kemper Freeman; a county court ruled in favor of Sound Transit and the decision was later upheld by the State Supreme Court.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=141–143}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pryne |first=Eric |date=March 5, 2004 |title=Scaling back of light rail upheld |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> A new grant application for the project's federal funding was submitted in July 2002 and final design began the following month with the FTA's approval.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The inspector general's second investigation of Sound Transit took ten months and was completed in July 2003;<ref>{{cite news |last=Fryer |first=Alex |date=June 23, 2003 |title=Sound Transit awaits congressional blessing to build light-rail line |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20030623/sound23m/sound-transit-awaits-congressional-blessing-to-build-light-rail-line |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> the report concluded that the agency had resolved its financial auditing issues and outstanding questions about rail–bus interoperability in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, among other issues.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hadley |first1=Jane |last2=Pope |first2=Charles |date=July 8, 2003 |title=Victory for Sound Transit |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/victory-for-sound-transit-1118825.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The full federal grant agreement was reinstated in October 2003 and construction of Central Link began a month later.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=October 24, 2003 |title=Victory day for fans of light rail |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/victory-day-for-fans-of-light-rail-1127969.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 9, 2003 |title=Dreams of expansion mark light-rail event |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>
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