Editing Sound Transit (section)

==History==
{{further|History of Link light rail}}

===Background and early studies===
[[File:Forward-Thrust-map.svg|thumb|right|Map of the proposed [[Forward Thrust]] rapid transit system from the second referendum in 1970]]

The waters of [[Puget Sound]] and the [[Puget Sound region|surrounding region]]'s navigable rivers were the primary transportation corridors for the indigenous [[Coast Salish people]]s as well as later settlers who arrived in the 19th century. A series of scheduled [[steamboat]] trips in the 1880s grew into the "[[Puget Sound mosquito fleet|mosquito fleet]]", the main mode of passenger and freight transportation for the growing region through the turn of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=David B. |date=February 2, 2021 |title=Mosquito Fleet |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/869 |work=[[HistoryLink]] |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> It waned in importance as railroads and [[streetcar]] systems were constructed around Puget Sound; these services, later supplemented by [[interurban]] trains, grew in the early 20th century to serve a growing number of passenger commuters. The [[Seattle Municipal Street Railway]] had a {{convert|231|mi|km|adj=mid}} streetcar and [[cable railway]] system by 1935, while private companies ran interurban services north to [[Everett, Washington|Everett]] and south to [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Crowley |first=Walt |author-link=Walt Crowley |date=October 2, 2000 |title=Street Railways in Seattle |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/2707 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> These rail services were all abandoned or converted into bus routes by 1941 as automobile adoption in the Seattle area contributed to a need for more developed highways and later freeways.<ref name="Wodnik5">{{cite book |last=Wodnik |first=Bob |year=2019 |title=Back on Track: Sound Transit's Fight to Save Light Rail |pages=5–7 |publisher=[[Washington State University Press]] |location=Pullman, Washington |isbn=9780874223699 |oclc=1098220735}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Crowley |first=Walt |date=September 19, 2000 |title=Interurban Rail Transit in King County and the Puget Sound Region |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/2667 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref>

The first major proposal for a [[rapid transit]] system to serve Seattle and the surrounding region was drafted by urban planner and civil engineer [[Virgil Bogue]] in 1911 as part of a [[comprehensive plan]]. Bogue's plan was rejected by a wide margin in the March 1912 municipal election; the city's three major newspapers had all opposed it.<ref>{{cite web |last=Oldham |first=Kit |date=March 3, 2020 |title=Seattle voters reject Bogue Plan for city development and elect George Cotterill mayor, and King County voters approve plans and funding for Port of Seattle, on March 5, 1912. |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/160 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> The [[Forward Thrust]] program, formed in the 1960s by civic activists, proposed the development of a {{convert|47|mi|km|adj=mid}} subway system that covered Seattle, [[Renton, Washington|Renton]], and [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] by 1985. Two-thirds of the $770{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|770000000|1968}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} construction cost would be funded by the federal government, contingent on the approval of local funding.<ref>{{cite news |last=Coffman |first=Larry |date=February 4, 1968 |title=Rapid Transit: Everyone Agrees It's Needed, but What Kind? |page=5 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The first referendum in February 1968 failed to reach the 60{{nbsp}}percent [[supermajority]] needed to pass; a second attempt was made in May 1970, but failed amid a spree of [[Layoff|layoffs]] by [[Boeing]] that severely affected the local economy.<ref name="Wodnik5"/><ref>{{cite news |date=June 14, 1970 |title=Seattle Mass Transit Proposal Pleases Everybody but Voters |page=16 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/06/14/archives/seattle-mass-transit-proposal-pleases-everybody-but-voters.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=limited |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Crosscut-Forward">{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Josh |date=October 14, 2016 |title=How Seattle blew its chance at a subway system |work=[[Crosscut.com]] |url=http://features.crosscut.com/seattle-forward-thrust-sound-transit |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917000729/http://features.crosscut.com/seattle-forward-thrust-sound-transit |archive-date=September 17, 2017 |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> The federal earmark was instead used to build the [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority]]'s subway system in [[Atlanta, Georgia]].<ref name="Crosscut-Forward"/>

The [[Seattle Transit System]], the successor to the municipal streetcars, struggled to secure funding to modernize its fleet in the 1960s but launched the region's first [[express bus]] system, named [[Blue Streak (bus)|Blue Streak]], in 1970 between Downtown Seattle and a park and ride lot in [[Northgate, Seattle|Northgate]]. The successful route led to plans to develop a network of express buses across the region by using the then-new freeway system and [[reversible lane|express lanes]]. The regional [[water quality]] agency, [[Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle]] (Metro), led planning of the network; Metro later took over operations of the Seattle Transit System and a suburban company in January 1973 following the approval of [[King County, Washington|King County]] voters in a September 1972 [[special election]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Crowley |first=Walt |year=1993 |title=Routes: An Interpretive History of Public Transportation in Metropolitan Seattle |pages=60, 66–69 |publisher=Crowley Associates |location=Seattle |oclc=31996584}}</ref><ref name="HL-Metro">{{cite web |last=Kershner |first=Jim |date=February 21, 2020 |title=King County Metro Transit |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/20968 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> Metro Transit's ridership reached 66 million passengers in 1980—exceeding its original projections—and an increase in bus trips led to congestion on downtown streets. A [[Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel|tunnel for buses]] began construction in 1987 and was opened in 1990 for a fleet of [[dual-mode bus|dual-mode]] electric and diesel buses; the tunnel was also designed for eventual conversion to accommodate a rail system.<ref name="HL-Metro"/>

Metro and the [[Puget Sound Council of Governments]], the inter-county [[metropolitan planning organization]] for the Seattle area, completed a study in 1986 to identify potential corridors for a modern [[light rail]] system. King County voters approved an advisory measure in November 1988 to endorse accelerated planning of a light rail system as well as a [[commuter rail]] line by 2000.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Bob |date=January 3, 1989 |title=Metro set to get rail system on track |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Bob |date=November 9, 1988 |title=Ballot Issues: On track, voters say 'hop to' on rail transit |page=E9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The [[Washington State Legislature]] also convened a rail development commission to study a regional transit system that later incorporated Metro's unfinished plans.<ref name="Crowley145">{{harvp|Crowley|1993|pp=145–146}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Bob |date=September 23, 1988 |title=Rail plan given new push toward fast track |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The commission endorsed the creation of a regional transit board composed of politicians from King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, which was authorized by the state legislature in 1990.<ref name="Crowley145"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Bergsman |first=Jerry |date=August 21, 1990 |title=Everett's OK may speed regional transit |page=C2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The Joint Regional Policy Committee was formed in 1991 and approved its final long-range plan for regional transit two years later. The $12{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|12000000000|1993}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} plan comprised a {{convert|105|mi|km|adj=mid}} light rail system from Everett to Tacoma and Redmond; commuter rail from Everett and Tacoma to Seattle; and improvements to local and express buses.<ref name="Herald-RTA1993">{{cite news |last=Wodnik |first=Bob |date=May 29, 1993 |title=Transit plan for region is approved |page=1A |work=[[The Everett Herald]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-transit-plan-for-region/144148461/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> It would be funded by [[sales tax]] and [[motor vehicle excise tax]] revenue within a district that covered the urbanized areas east of Puget Sound between [[Marysville, Washington|Marysville]] to the north and [[Parkland, Washington|Parkland]] to the south.<ref>{{harvp|Crowley|1993|pp=151–152}}</ref> From 1960 to 1990, the region's population had increased by 82 percent and was outpaced by the growth in the number of registered vehicles, which collectively logged 55.2{{nbsp}}million miles ({{convert|55.2|e6mi|e6km|abbr=unit|disp=out}}) traveled in 1991.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=10–11}}</ref>

===Establishment and Sound Move===

The formation of a regional transit authority (RTA) to create a [[ballot measure]] to implement and fund the regional transit plan required the approval of the King, Pierce, and Snohomish county councils.<ref name="Herald-RTA1993"/> By July 1993, all three county councils had voted to join the RTA; the Pierce and Snohomish county councils voted unanimously in favor of joining, while the vote for [[Metropolitan King County Council]] passed by a narrow 5–4 margin.<ref>{{cite news |last=Higgins |first=Mark |date=July 7, 1993 |title=Slim win for regional transit plan |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Folkerts |first=Dale |date=July 9, 1993 |title=County joins transit council |page=A1 |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-county-joins-transit-co/161233946/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> The board of directors for the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, the official name of the RTA, held its first meeting on September 17, 1993, at a former [[Washington State Department of Transportation]] office in [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]].<ref name="HL-RTA">{{cite web |last=Cohen |first=Josh |date=November 28, 2017 |title=Regional Transit Authority (RTA) board convenes for first time on September 17, 1993. |url=https://historylink.org/File/20188 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Turner |first=Joseph |date=September 18, 1993 |title=New regional transit agency begins rail system planning |page=B7 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-new-regional-transit-ag/161234070/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 19, 2024}}</ref> The new agency was provided space on the 15th floor of the [[Exchange Building (Seattle)|Exchange Building]] in Downtown Seattle by King County Metro (the successor to Metro) and began preparation of its first ballot measure.<ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=12–13}}</ref><ref name="PI-Move1999">{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=October 14, 1999 |title=All aboard for a transit move that brackets a whole century |page=B3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

In October 1994, the RTA Board adopted its master plan for regional transit that would be sent to county councils for ratification and placement as a ballot measure. The plan, with a construction cost of approximately $6.77{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|6770000000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} was described as the largest public works project in Seattle's history. It included {{convert|69|mi|km}} of light rail service that would be completed within 16 years with lines that would connect Downtown Seattle to [[Lynnwood, Washington|Lynnwood]] in the north, Bellevue and [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] to the east, and Tacoma to the south.<ref name="PI-Plan1994">{{cite news |last=Penhale |first=Ed |date=October 29, 1994 |title=Rapid transit plans shifts into high gear |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref name="Times-Plan1995">{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=March 12, 1995 |title=Q&A: Facts on Tuesday's $6.7 billion vote |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The plan also called for a shorter timeline to launch a commuter rail system, which would use an existing {{convert|81|mi|km}} of freight tracks from [[Lakewood, Washington|Lakewood]] to Everett, and an express bus network with eight routes.<ref name="PI-Plan1994"/><ref name="Times-Plan1995"/> It was approved by the three county councils by December, with the divided [[Snohomish County Council]] narrowly voting 3–2 in favor due to the lack of light rail service to Everett in the first phase of the plan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Penhale |first=Ed |date=December 15, 1994 |title=Going along for the ride: Snohomish council to stay aboard with rapid transit plan |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> A $2.5{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|2500000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} demonstration of commuter rail service on the Tacoma–Seattle–Everett corridor during peak hours and for [[Tacoma Dome]] events was operated by the RTA in early 1995 as part of preparations for the ballot measure.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=January 31, 1995 |title=New train picks up steam |page=D1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Heath |date=February 20, 1995 |title=Demonstration rail service to Seattle to begin run this week |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-demonstration-rail-serv/161292895/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref>

The RTA ballot measure would only require a simple majority to pass and was part of a special election on March 14, 1995.<ref name="Times-Plan1995"/> The proposal was supported by prominent elected officials, including incumbent governor [[Mike Lowry]], and the "pro" campaign received funding from [[Boeing]], [[Weyerhaeuser]], local retailers [[The Bon Marché]] and [[Nordstrom]], and engineering firms.<ref name="Times-Plan1995"/><ref name="TNT-Funding1995">{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Heath |date=March 10, 1995 |title=Corporate cash gives RTA backers big advantage in battle of the bucks |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-corporate-cash-gives-rt/161293223/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref> The "no" campaign primarily comprised businessmen from the [[Eastside (King County, Washington)|Eastside]] region led by mall developer [[Kemper Freeman]];<ref name="TNT-Funding1995"/> it argued that the plan was too expensive to construct and would not address traffic congestion.<ref>{{cite news |last=Penhale |first=Ed |date=March 9, 1995 |title=Vote on mass-transit plan to be a decision for the ages |page=A8 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The ballot measure was rejected by 53.5{{nbsp}}percent of voters across the district, with only King County having a majority in favor of the plan due to strong support within the city of Seattle.<ref name="Wodnik14">{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=14–17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=March 16, 1995 |title=Voters weren't ready for tax on transit plan |page=B1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19950316/2110445/voters-werent-ready-for-tax-on-transit-plan----especially-since-u-s-helping-less |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref> In Everett, 83{{nbsp}}percent of voters rejected the ballot measure, attributed to the opposition of local elected officials due to the lack of light rail service for the city in the first phase.<ref name="Wodnik14"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=North |first1=Scott |last2=Wodnik |first2=Bob |date=March 16, 1995 |title=Everett had company in RTA defeat |page=1A |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-everett-had-company-in/161293383/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 20, 2024}}</ref> The defeat was also attributed to low [[voter turnout|turnout]], especially among younger voters, due to the timing of the election in a non-presidential year.<ref name="HL-RTA"/><ref name="Times-Turnout">{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=July 14, 1996 |title=New transit vote likely to bring bigger turnout |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The regional transit plan had cost $50{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|50000000|1995}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to develop under the RTA and its predecessors; calls to run a second ballot measure with a modified version of the plan found support from the county councils and the [[Seattle Chamber of Commerce]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=March 22, 1995 |title=RTA planning cost $50 million |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=April 29, 1995 |title=Camps remain split on area transit plan |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>  The RTA was reorganized to reduce its spending by 60{{nbsp}}percent and its 150-person staff was cut to 23 members; a new CEO was hired and [[Snohomish County Executive]] [[Bob Drewel]] was elected as board chair to represent a "clean break" from earlier transit planning.<ref name="Wodnik14"/> A modified plan with a reduced cost of $3.9{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|3900000000|1996}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and a 10-year timeline was presented in November 1995 by a panel of local elected officials to prepare for legislative approval for a second ballot measure.<ref name="Wodnik18">{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=18–21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 3, 1995 |title=Transit board shaves bill for new rail-bus system |page=C10 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The new plan, named "Sound Move", was adopted by the RTA board in May 1996 and was placed on the November 1996 ballot;<ref name="Times-Turnout"/> its development included over 400 public meetings to receive community input.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 7, 1996 |title=Eastside may be the first stop for three-county transit system |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> Sound Move only included {{convert|25|mi|km}} of light rail within [[Downtown Tacoma]] and from Downtown Seattle to [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport]], but retained the commuter rail element of the previous plan and expanded its use of express buses.<ref name="Times-Turnout"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 4, 1996 |title=RTA looking for the right route home |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

On November 5, 1996, the Sound Move plan and its funding package was approved by 56.5{{nbsp}}percent of voters within the RTA district. It won a majority in all three counties and was approved by 70{{nbsp}}percent of Seattle voters.<ref name="Wodnik18"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=November 7, 1996 |title=Transit plan can trace surprise success to suburbs |page=B1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19961107/2358432/transit-plan-can-trace-surprise-success-to-suburbs----new-support-found-on-eastside-in-snohomish-county |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The "yes" campaign, largely supported by the same donors as well as smaller contributors, used wider advertisements and grassroots teams; the "no" campaign repeated their criticisms of the plan on fiscal grounds and raised its funds from real estate interests and lobbying groups representing the trucking, homebuilding, and road construction industries.<ref name="Wodnik18"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=November 6, 1996 |title=Voters hop aboard plan for regional transit system |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The local funding for the plan would be raised through a 0.4{{nbsp}}percent sales tax and 0.3{{nbsp}}percent annual motor vehicle excise tax that took effect on April 1, 1997.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=December 13, 1996 |title=First step on transit road will cost $8.5 million |page=C8 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=March 31, 1997 |title=Tax man takes bigger bite tomorrow |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The RTA began expanding its staff and moved out of its shared space with Metro in July 1997;<ref>{{cite news |date=August 14, 1997 |title=RTA moves to new headquarters |work=RTA Board Meeting Report |volume=5 |issue=10 |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/onboard/1997/aug14ob.html |publisher=Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010727023425/http://www.soundtransit.org/onboard/1997/aug14ob.html |archive-date=July 27, 2001 |accessdate=December 25, 2024}}</ref> its new headquarters occupied several floors at 1100 Second Avenue, a former bank building in Downtown Seattle.<ref name="PI-Move1999"/><ref>{{harvp|Wodnik|2019|pp=24–25}}</ref> The agency moved its offices to Seattle's historic [[Union Station (Seattle)|Union Station]] in November 1999 after a renovation and restoration project that cost $23.5{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|23500000|1999}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref name="PI-Move1999"/>

===Launch of first services===
[[File:Sound Transit DE60LFR.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Sound Transit Express]] bus on route 550 in the [[Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel]]]]

Sound Transit was adopted as the brand name for the RTA on August 15, 1997, along with the names "Link" for the light rail system, "Sounder" for the commuter rail system, and "Regional Express" for the bus network. The "Sound Transit" name was chosen due to its use as a [[double entendre]], referring to the Puget Sound region as well as appearing "trustworthy" and "solid".<ref>{{cite news |last=Barber |first=Mike |date=August 15, 1997 |title=Transit board makes sound choice picking a new name |page=C3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> Over 100 names were suggested by consultants and members of the public to the RTA board; the other finalist for the agency's name was "Regional Transit", which went through several rounds of voting.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wodnik |first=Bob |date=August 15, 1997 |title=We'll call it 'Sound Transit' |page=1A |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-well-call-it-sound-tr/144148505/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Dudley |first=Brier |date=August 15, 1997 |title=Make way for 'ST' — Sound Transit |page=B1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-make-way-for-st-sou/161294441/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The agency's logo, created by a local firm and described as a "heavyset T with an S winding through it", was approved in September by the board.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dudley |first=Brier |date=September 26, 1997 |title=Regional Transit Authority logo is a go |page=B8 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-regional-transit-author/161294490/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> Sound Transit approved funding for its first projects the following month by partnering with local transit agencies; [[Pierce Transit]] received funding for 15 additional daily trips on its Seattle–Tacoma express buses, while construction of [[Community Transit]]'s park and ride at Ash Way in Lynnwood would be accelerated with new regional funds.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wodnik |first=Bob |date=September 5, 1997 |title=Park-and-ride groundbreaking is a first for RTA |page=1A |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-park-and-ride-groundbre/161294506/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=September 16, 1997 |title=RTA already on the road to fitting new transit puzzle pieces together |page=B3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

The first component of the Sound Move plan to be fully implemented was the regional express bus system, which was later renamed to [[Sound Transit Express]] and approved in late 1998.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=November 9, 1998 |title=Sound Transit picking up speed |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19981109/2782504/sound-transit-picking-up-speed----three-county-web-of-express-bus-routes-nears-approval |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 11, 2025}}</ref> The first set of nine express bus routes launched on September 19, 1999, and served regional destinations and 33 park and ride lots in the three counties;<ref name="TNT-Express1999"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=May 13, 1999 |title=Bus routes leave some (un)happy |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> an existing King County Metro express route from Seattle to Bellevue and Pierce Transit's Seattle–Tacoma express were also transferred to Sound Transit.<ref name="TNT-Express1999"/><ref name="Times-Express1999">{{cite news |last=Whitely |first=Peyton |date=September 17, 1999 |title=Buses ready to roll |page=B1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19990917/2983670/buses-ready-to-roll |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The initial fleet of 117 buses were painted in the agency's new livery and included [[low-floor bus|low-floor]] articulated buses, high-floor coaches, and 20 dual-mode Breda buses leased from King County Metro for use in the [[Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel]].<ref name="TNT-Express1999"/><ref name="PI-Buses1999"/><ref>{{WSDOT Public Transit Summary |year=1999 |page=160 |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The express buses accepted the PugetPass, a new inter-agency fare system that replaced commuter passes and was accepted by five regional transit agencies when it launched on September 1, 1999.<ref name="Times-Express1999"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Cornwall |first=Warren |date=August 14, 1999 |title=Transfer agencies to offer one pass |page=1A |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-transfer-agencies-to-of/161338211/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref>

The Sounder commuter rail system was originally scheduled to debut with nine daily round trips between Seattle and Tacoma in December 1999, but state funding for track improvements had been jeopardized by the [[Tim Eyman]]-led [[Washington Initiative 695|Initiative 695]], which capped the state's portion of the motor vehicle excise tax at $30.<ref>{{cite news |last=Quigg |first=David |date=December 10, 1999 |title=Commuter train struts its stuff |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-commuter-train-struts-i/161339432/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The initiative was passed in November 1999 and later ruled unconstitutional by the [[Washington Supreme Court]], but the cap was passed by the state legislature;<ref>{{cite news |last=Gutman |first=David |date=July 11, 2017 |title=Tim Eyman initiative would toss Sound Transit car-tab tax, set state cap of $30 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/tim-eyman-initiative-would-toss-sound-transit-car-tab-tax-set-state-cap-of-30/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> the state's withdrawn funding was filled by an allocation of federal transportation funds allocated by the [[Puget Sound Regional Council]].<ref name="TNT-BNSF2000">{{cite news |last=Quigg |first=David |date=April 21, 2000 |title=Sound Transit reaches deal with BNSF |page=B1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sound-transit-reaches-d/161340357/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> Sound Transit had reached an agreement with the [[Port of Seattle]], [[Port of Tacoma]], and railroad owners [[BNSF Railway|BNSF]] and [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific]] in April 1999 for use of their tracks, contingent on funding the majority of a $319{{nbsp}}million improvement project for the Seattle–Tacoma corridor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=George |date=April 29, 1999 |title=Gorton breaks impasse on commuter rail |page=B2 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> A new, 40-year agreement was signed with BNSF in April 2000 for the railroad to operate the commuter rail system with its crews for an annual cost of $4{{nbsp}}million in 2000 dollars (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|4000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref name="TNT-BNSF2000"/>

Sounder trains on the South Line (now the S Line) began service on September 18, 2000, with two round trips from Tacoma to Seattle with intermediate stops at [[Sumner station|Sumner]] and [[Auburn station (Sound Transit)|Auburn]] stations. An estimated 657 people rode the morning trains, while 451 rode in the evening.<ref>{{cite news |last=McGann |first=Chris |date=September 19, 2000 |title=Sound Transit's Tacoma-to-Seattle commuter-rail service debuts |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Quigg |first=David |date=September 19, 2000 |title=Sounder off to a solid opening-day performance |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sounder-off-to-a-solid/161340866/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The service used a temporary platform due to a dispute with [[Tacoma Rail]], which owned the tracks leading to the intermodal [[Tacoma Dome Station]] hub; the dispute also limited the number of daily trips for trains until an agreement was signed in November 2000.<ref name="TNT-SounderPractice">{{cite news |last=Quigg |first=David |date=September 17, 2000 |title=All aboard! Sounder crew hopes practice will make Monday's opening day perfect |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-all-aboard-sounder-cre/121760376/ A1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sounder-crew-aims-for-f/121760429/ A20] |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-all-aboard-sounder-cre/121760376/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 18, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Dudley |first=Brier |date=November 17, 2000 |title=Sound Transit, Tacoma Rail reach agreement on track |page=A18 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Additional stations were completed and opened by March 2001 to bring the line to seven stations as originally approved in Sound Move;<ref>{{cite news |last=Kawada |first=Eijiro |date=March 11, 2001 |title=Hundreds gather to celebrate opening of Sounder train station |page=B2 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-hundreds-gather-to-cele/161341219/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> the platform at Tacoma Dome Station opened on September 15, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Sean |date=September 16, 2003 |title=Making connections: Passengers, business owners rave about new facility's convenience |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-making-connections-pas/161341008/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 21, 2024}}</ref> The initial rollout of the 19 planned Sound Transit Express routes was completed in September 2002 with the launch of the Seattle–[[Woodinville, Washington|Woodinville]] and Tacoma–University District routes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Singer |first=Natalie |date=September 25, 2002 |title=Commuters along for the (new) ride |page=B2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The bus fleet had grown to 194 vehicles and the service had carried 15{{nbsp}}million passengers in its first three years of operation.<ref>{{cite press release |date=September 26, 2002 |title=Sound Transit celebrates two major milestones: completes ST Express regional bus system; announces start date for third Sounder train |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/sound-transit-celebrates-two-major-milestones-completes-st |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 18, 2024}}</ref> By 2005, Sound Transit had constructed several direct access ramps between bus hubs and HOV lanes on freeways, along with a total of 10,000 stalls at park and ride lots.<ref>{{cite news |last=Corvin |first=Aaron |date=January 16, 2005 |title=Around the bend |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-around-the-bend-part-1/161512778/ A1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-around-the-bend-part-2/161512782/ A14] |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-around-the-bend-part-1/161512778/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 25, 2024}}</ref>

===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>

===Service expansion and ST2 plans===
[[File:Tacoma Link Skoda 10T car at Tacoma Dome station (2008).jpg|thumb|right|The first light rail line the region, [[T Line (Sound Transit)|Tacoma Link]], opened in August 2003]]

The first section of the Link light rail system to be constructed was [[T Line (Sound Transit)|Tacoma Link]] (now the T{{nbsp}}Line), a local [[streetcar]] that connects Tacoma Dome Station to Downtown Tacoma. The {{convert|1.6|mi|km|adj=mid}} line opened on August 22, 2003, and cost $80.4{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|80400000|2003}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to construct over a three-year period.<ref>{{cite news |last=Corvin |first=Aaron |date=August 23, 2003 |title=Tacoma Link makes its debut |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-tacoma-link-makes-its-d/161351040/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=August 22, 2003 |title=Tacoma's light rail—1.6 historic miles |page=B1 |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Tacoma-s-light-rail-1-6-historic-miles-1122471.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> A second commuter rail line for Sounder, the [[N Line (Sound Transit)|North Line]] (now the N{{nbsp}}Line), began service on December 21, 2003, and extended the network north from Seattle to [[Edmonds station (Washington)|Edmonds]] and [[Everett Station|Everett]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Velush |first=Lukas |date=December 22, 2003 |title=Sounder pleases crowd |page=A1 |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-sounder-pleases-crowd/144148617/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> Earlier that month, Sound Transit signed a 97-year lease of the track rights with BNSF for $258{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|258000000|2003}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars);{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} the agreement also included acquisition of the [[Lakeview Subdivision]] for an extension of the South Line to Lakewood.<ref>{{cite news |last=Silver |first=Beth |date=December 18, 2003 |title=Sounder to start Everett run |page=B1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sounder-to-start-everet/161351259/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref>

Sound Transit began forming its long-range plan in 2004, which would include a new funding package for the remainder of Central Link as well as other projects to expand the rail and bus network.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=September 24, 2004 |title=Sound Transit puts off completion of Phase 2 plan |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/sound-transit-puts-off-completion-of-phase-2-plan-1154944.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> A total of 81 projects were included in the adopted plan, including near-term light rail extensions to the Eastside via [[Interstate 90 in Washington|Interstate 90]], north to Lynnwood, and south to Tacoma.<ref>{{cite news |last=Velush |first=Lukas |date=December 16, 2005 |title=Plan for Everett light rail survives |page=B1 |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-plan-for-everett-light/161403493/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=October 14, 2005 |title=Expanded light rail plan envisioned for region |page=B2 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/expanded-light-rail-plan-envisioned-for-region-1185110.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The northern tunneled section of the original Central Link route was divided into two new projects in 2005: [[University Link tunnel|University Link]] from Downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill and the [[Montlake, Seattle|Montlake]] area; and [[Northgate Link tunnel|North Link]] (later Northgate Link) from Montlake to the University District and Northgate.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 2005 |title=Sound Transit Staff Report: Resolution No. R2005-20 |pages=1–4 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/st_sharepoint/download/sites/PRDA/FinalRecords/2005/Resolution%20R2005-20.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pryne |first=Eric |date=November 4, 2005 |title=North light-rail route gets top federal rating |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/north-light-rail-route-gets-top-federal-rating/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The routing for University Link avoided the Portage Bay crossing but also eliminated a station on [[First Hill, Seattle|First Hill]], which had been deemed a risk to securing federal funding. To serve the neighborhood, Sound Transit offered to include the [[First Hill Streetcar]] project in its next transit package.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=January 23, 2016 |title=Streetcar wait over, and first rides free |page=A6 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattles-first-hill-streetcar-to-open-saturday-with-free-rides/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Times-Overruns2016">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 21, 2016 |title=Sound Transit's cost overruns for first phase hit about 86 percent |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transits-cost-overruns-for-first-phase-hit-about-86-percent/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref>

The second phase of the regional transit plan, a 20-year program named Sound Transit 2 (ST2), was adopted by the Sound Transit Board in May 2007. It would cost $10.8{{nbsp}}billion in 2006 dollars (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|10800000000|2006}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and include {{convert|50|mi|km}} of light rail expansion, the First Hill Streetcar, and planning for further expansions to be built with outside funding.<ref>{{cite press release |date=May 23, 2007 |title=Board adopts Sound Transit 2 Plan proposing 50 miles of light rail expansions |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/board-adopts-sound-transit-2-plan-proposing-50-miles-light |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Roberts |first=Gregory |date=September 25, 2007 |title=Proposition 1: How much will it really cost? |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/proposition-1-how-much-will-it-really-cost-1250729.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> ST2 was one component of the joint [[Roads and Transit]] ballot measure, which also included $7{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|7000000000|2007}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} in highway and road projects proposed by the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID), which included areas in the three counties beyond the Sound Transit district.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cornfield |first=Jerry |date=October 28, 2007 |title=Is roads and transit plan worth the price tag? |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-is-roads-and-transit-pl/161404619/ A1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-is-roads-and-transit-pl/161404628/ A8] |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-is-roads-and-transit-pl/161404619/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The RTID had previously proposed a joint ballot measure for the November 2004; a 2006 bill passed by the state legislature required both issues to be on the same ballot, but allowed them to run separately.<ref>{{cite news |last=Turner |first=Joseph |date=January 22, 2007 |title=Two transit issues might merge |page=B1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-two-transit-issues-migh/161404106/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The joint package—the largest tax proposal in the state's history—was opposed by Kemper Freeman on financial grounds and the local [[Sierra Club]] chapter for its road expansions; the proposal also found little support among major political figures and opposition from some, including [[King County Executive]] and former Sound Transit Board chair [[Ron Sims]].<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="Times-RT2007">{{cite news |last=Garber |first=Andrew |date=November 7, 2007 |title=Huge roads-transit plan gets trounced |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20071107/elexroadsandtransit07m/huge-roads-transit-plan-gets-trounced |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> On November 6, 2007, the Roads and Transit package (officially Proposition 1) was rejected by 56{{nbsp}}percent of voters in the three-county region; a post-election survey commissioned by Sound Transit found that most respondents were uncertain of the package's costs and tax impacts or were opposed to the high cost.<ref>{{cite news |last=Roberts |first=Gregory |date=November 29, 2007 |title=Roads-and-transit package too big and too pricey, voters feared |page=B5 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/roads-and-transit-package-too-big-and-too-pricey-1257143.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> In response to the failure of Roads and Transit, a bill to expand Sound Transit into a regional transportation agency that was also responsible for highway development was proposed in the state legislature but died in the 2008 session.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=February 22, 2008 |title=Sound Transit expansion denied |page=B3 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/sound-transit-expansion-denied-1265186.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref>

A standalone ballot measure for ST2 was proposed for the 2008 or 2010 elections, the latter after the scheduled completion of Central Link in Seattle.<ref name="TNT-Proposals2008">{{cite news |last=Wickert |first=David |date=March 25, 2008 |title=Sound Transit board weighs expansion proposals |page=A6 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sound-transit-board-wei/161406325/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=January 25, 2008 |title=Sound Transit weighs new ballot issue |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/sound-transit-weighs-new-ballot-issue-1262606.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> Ridership on Sound Transit services grew by 25{{nbsp}}percent from July 2007 to July 2008 amid a national increase in transit ridership driven by higher [[gasoline prices]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Wickert |first=David |date=September 16, 2008 |title=Sound Transit to expand service |page=B1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sound-transit-to-expand/161406637/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The increase in ridership and favorable political environment led to a push to prepare the ST2 ballot measure for the November 2008 election, which was expected to have greater turnout due to the concurrent [[2008 United States presidential election|presidential election]].<ref name="TNT-Proposals2008"/> In July, the Sound Transit Board voted to place a 15-year version of the ST2 package on the November ballot; its cost was reduced to $17.9{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|17900000000|2008}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and would require a 0.5{{nbsp}}percent sales tax increase. The plan included {{convert|34|mi|km}} of light rail extensions that would reach Lynnwood, the [[Microsoft campus]] in Redmond, and northern [[Federal Way, Washington|Federal Way]] by 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=July 25, 2008 |title=Sound Transit sending voters $17.9 billion rail-and-bus plan |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sound-transit-sending-voters-179-billion-rail-and-bus-plan/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> It also retained the First Hill Streetcar and funded additional Sounder and Sound Transit Express service in the near-term to address crowding.<ref>{{cite news |last=Turner |first=Joseph |date=July 25, 2008 |title=Transit tax heads to vote |page=A1 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-transit-tax-heads-to-vo/161406917/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> On November 4, 2008, Proposition 1 (which authorized the ST2 plan) was approved by 58{{nbsp}}percent of voters despite the [[Great Recession|ongoing economic crisis]].<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Sheets |first=Bill |date=November 9, 2008 |title=Where $17 billion takes you: Buses will arrive first |page=A12 |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-where-17-billion-takes/161407676/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The "pro" campaign raised nearly $1{{nbsp}}million in funds (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1000000|2008}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} over a four-month period and used targeted campaigning to improve turnout among young voters.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 6, 2008 |title=How transit supporters closed deal with voters |page=A1 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lightrailinitiative/2008357499_soundtransit06m.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209150950/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lightrailinitiative/2008357499_soundtransit06m.html |archive-date=December 9, 2008 |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref>

===Link opening and early ST2 projects===

The initial {{convert|14|mi|km}} of Central Link (now the 1{{nbsp}}Line) opened to passengers on July 18, 2009, between [[Westlake station (Sound Transit)|Westlake station]] in Downtown Seattle to the north and [[Tukwila International Boulevard station]] to the south.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Doughton |first1=Sandi |author-link1=Sandi Doughton |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=July 19, 2009 |title=Seattle hops on board |page=A1 |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009496849_lightrail19m.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924170518/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009496849_lightrail19m.html |archive-date=September 24, 2016 |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Yardley |first=William |date=July 31, 2009 |title=After Years of Debate, Light Rail Trains Enter Town |page=A8 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/us/01seattle.html |work=The New York Times |url-access=limited |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, which underwent a two-year renovation to prepare for light rail service, became the only tunnel in the U.S. to have stations shared between buses and trains.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=May 21, 2009 |title=Tunnel two-step: It may take buses longer to clear shared tunnel |page=A1 |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009245024_stdowntown21m0.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202060754/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009245024_stdowntown21m0.html |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> The construction cost was $117{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|117000000|2009}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} below the $2.44{{nbsp}}billion budget (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|2440000000|2009}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} set by Sound Transit in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=June 23, 2011 |title=Light-rail contract dispute is resolved |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2015410238_lightrail24m.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918110623/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2015410238_lightrail24m.html |archive-date=September 18, 2017 |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> An extension from Tukwila to Sea–Tac Airport opened on December 19 and cost $244{{nbsp}}million to construct (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|244000000|2009}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}—financed primarily through [[Bond (finance)|bonds]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=December 19, 2009 |title=Sound Transit opens new light-rail link with Sea-Tac Airport |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2010550753_weblightrail19m.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106175322/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2010550753_weblightrail19m.html |archive-date=January 6, 2017 |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=July 14, 2005 |title=Light rail plan comes into focus |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/light-rail-plan-comes-into-focus-1178439.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> By September 2009, Sound Transit's services had carried over 100{{nbsp}}million total passengers, of which 82{{nbsp}}million were on its network of 26 express bus routes on 21 corridors.<ref>{{cite press release |date=September 18, 2009 |title=Sound Transit marks 10 years of serving customers |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/sound-transit-marks-10-years-serving-customers |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=August 31, 2016}}</ref> The [[ORCA card]], a [[smart card]] system for seven of the region's transit agencies, debuted in April 2009 and replaced Sound Transit's paper transfer tickets and PugetPass monthly passes on January 1, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=Haglund |first=Noah |date=September 16, 2009 |title=Transit agencies expand passes |page=B2 |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-transit-agencies-expand/161409268/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=December 30, 2009 |title=Got ORCA? New transit pass takes over Jan. 1 |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/got-orca-new-transit-pass-takes-over-jan-1/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref>

The first service expansion using ST2 funds was rolled out beginning in May 2009, with additional trips for twelve bus routes and a ninth daily round-trip on the Sounder South{{nbsp}}Line.<ref>{{cite press release |date=May 21, 2009 |title=New trains, new bus trips bring big changes in June |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/new-trains-new-bus-trips-bring-big-changes-june |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref> Sound Transit's primary revenue sources, sales tax and the motor vehicle excise tax, began to decline in late 2008 as a result of the ongoing economic recession.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=October 9, 2009 |title=Sound Transit ridership rises; funding takes hit |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sound-transit-ridership-rises-funding-takes-hit/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> By late 2010, the agency expected that it would have a shortfall of $3.9{{nbsp}}billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|3900000000|2010}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} through the lifetime of the ST2 program, approximately 25{{nbsp}}percent of forecasted revenue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Halpert |first=Oscar |date=September 23, 2010 |title=Sound Transit faces service cuts as revenues fall |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/sound-transit-faces-service-cuts-as-revenues-fall/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Merten |first=Paxtyn |date=May 5, 2020 |title=What the Great Recession taught Sound Transit about realignment in an economic crisis |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/05/05/how-sound-transit-adjusted-its-capital-program.html |work=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> In response, several Sounder projects and a portion of the light rail extension to Federal Way were cut from the ST2 program or given a lower priority rating, as was preliminary engineering for other projects. The start of University Link construction was unaffected by the cuts, as it had already been budgeted and received federal funding, while planning for the Eastside's [[2 Line (Sound Transit)|light rail extension]] stalled over disagreements over the routing in Bellevue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gutierrez |first=Scott |date=September 22, 2010 |title=Sound Transit must cut back; south King hurt most |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/sound-transit-must-cut-back-south-king-hurt-most-890010.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hicks |first=Joshua Adams |date=August 12, 2010 |title=Sound Transit will re-think Bellevue tunnel in light of bad economy |url=https://www.bellevuereporter.com/news/sound-transit-will-re-think-bellevue-tunnel-in-light-of-bad-economy/ |work=[[Bellevue Reporter]] |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> Ridership on Sounder and Sound Transit Express declined slightly from 2009 to 2010, while Link light rail fell short of its projections; weekend and late-night trips on Central Link were also reduced to one railcar to save on operating costs.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=March 3, 2011 |title=Sound Transit ridership falls short of goals |page=B1 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014381404_soundtransit03m.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510110749/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014381404_soundtransit03m.html |archive-date=May 10, 2011 |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref>

To cover increased operating costs, Sound Transit Express fares were increased twice over a two-year period and several routes or sections with low weekend ridership were cut or combined in June 2011.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 2012 |title=Transit Development Plan 2012–2017 and 2011 Annual Report |page=13 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/newsroom/2012_tdp_2011annualrpt.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |date=May 10, 2011 |title=ST Express, Link fare changes take effect June 1 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/st-express-link-fare-changes-take-effect-june-1 |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> The agency also opened new bus hubs in [[Kirkland, Washington|Kirkland]] and [[Mountlake Terrace, Washington|Mountlake Terrace]], where a [[Mountlake Terrace station|freeway station]] was constructed in the median of [[Interstate 5 in Washington|Interstate 5]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Phelps |first=Matt |date=February 25, 2011 |title=New Kirkland Transit Center part of city's plan to mitigate toll traffic |url=https://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/new-kirkland-transit-center-part-of-citys-plan-to-mitigate-toll-traffic/ |work=[[Kirkland Reporter]] |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sheets |first=Bill |date=March 18, 2011 |title=I-5 bus station ready in Mountlake Terrace |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/i-5-bus-station-ready-in-mountlake-terrace/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> The first [[infill station|infill rail station]] constructed by Sound Transit, at [[Theater District station (Sound Transit)|Commerce Street]] on Tacoma Link, opened in September of that year.<ref>{{cite press release |date=September 14, 2011 |title=Tacoma Link Commerce Street Station opens tomorrow |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/tacoma-link-commerce-street-station-opens-tomorrow |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> The Sounder South{{nbsp}}Line was extended {{convert|8.5|mi|km}} from Tacoma to Lakewood on October 8, 2012, at a cost of $325{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|325000000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and completed the original commuter rail network from the 1996 plan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Carson |first=Rob |date=October 7, 2012 |title=Sounder a long time coming |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sounder-a-long-time-com/161463644/ A1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sounder-a-long-time-com/161463753/ A16] |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-sounder-a-long-time-com/161463644/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref> The Lakewood extension used the northern section of the [[Point Defiance Bypass]], a {{convert|14.5|mi|km|adj=mid}} corridor owned by Sound Transit and designated for use by intercity [[Amtrak]] trains. It was rebuilt at a cost of $181{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|181000000|2017}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} primarily funded by the state and federal governments.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 18, 2017 |title=Amtrak derailment occurred along new, $181M rail corridor |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/derailment-occurred-along-new-181m-rail-corridor/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> On December 18, 2017, the first [[Amtrak Cascades|Amtrak ''Cascades'']] trip on the new corridor [[2017 Washington train derailment|derailed]] on a bridge over Interstate 5 near [[DuPont, Washington|DuPont]]; three passengers were killed and dozens of people were injured. The [[National Transportation Safety Board]] determined the causes of derailment to be the lack of [[positive train control]] and a hazardous curve that was not replaced due to budget issues; Sound Transit was criticized for not mitigating for both issues, while WSDOT and Amtrak were blamed for inadequate training through the curve.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=May 21, 2019 |title=NTSB 'amazed at the amount of failure' by agencies in fatal 2017 Amtrak derailment south of Tacoma |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/ntsb-amazed-at-the-amount-of-failure-by-agencies-in-fatal-2017-amtrak-derailment-south-of-tacoma/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Amtrak service on the corridor resumed in November 2021 following the activation of positive train control and speed reductions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sailor |first=Craig |date=November 18, 2021 |title=Amtrak resumes service on Point Defiance Bypass route where 3 died in 2017 |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article255927656.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

Ridership on the agency's services reached a new record high in 2012, with 28{{nbsp}}million total boardings and an average of 93,000 passengers on weekdays.<ref>{{cite press release |date=February 8, 2013 |title=It's official: Sound Transit carried more riders than ever in 2012 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/its-official-sound-transit-carried-more-riders-ever-2012 |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Sound Transit began construction of the [[Northgate Link tunnel|Northgate Link Extension]], which was deferred from Sound Move and funded by ST2, in August 2012.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gutierrez |first=Scott |date=August 17, 2012 |title=Party like it's 2021 for Northgate light rail |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/party-like-it-s-2021-for-northgate-light-rail-3796255.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The agency extended Sound Transit Express service outside of its district into [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]] in 2013 as part of a four-year pilot project funded by [[Intercity Transit]], the local transit operator in [[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston County]].<ref>{{cite web |date=December 2016 |title=2017 Service Implementation Plan |page=107 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/2017-service-implementation-plan.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Chris |date=March 16, 2017 |title=Is Sound Transit pulling a fast one with the 592 bus route? |url=https://mynorthwest.com/573935/sound-transit-pulling-a-fast-one/ |publisher=[[KIRO-FM|KIRO Radio]] |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The route of the Eastside light rail line, under the project name East Link, was approved in April 2013 alongside additional funding from the Bellevue city government to cover the costs of a downtown tunnel.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=April 26, 2013 |title=Sound Transit signs off on Bellevue's light-rail route |page=B1 |url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/04/sound-transit-signs-off-on-bellevues-light-rail-route/ |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517122346/http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/04/sound-transit-signs-off-on-bellevues-light-rail-route/ |archive-date=May 17, 2014 |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The line would use the [[Interstate 90 in Washington|Interstate 90]] express lanes on the [[Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge]] and become the first permanent railway on a [[pontoon bridge|floating bridge]]; design tests were conducted using a two-car trainset on a model of the proposed transitions between the bridge's fixed and floating spans.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=May 14, 2017 |title=World's first light rail on a floating bridge: For I-90, Sound Transit had to invent 'a brilliant solution' |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/light-rail-track-floating-bridge-i-90-sound-transit/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 15, 2015 |title=Extra $20 million OK'd to finish East Link light-rail design |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/extra-20-million-okd-to-finish-east-link-light-rail-design/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> An elevated extension of Central Link from Sea–Tac Airport to [[Angle Lake station|South 200th Street station]] (now Angle Lake) also began construction in April 2013;<ref>{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=April 24, 2013 |title=Sea-Tac Airport light-rail extension construction starts Friday |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/04/24/new-video-shows-how-light-rail-will.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |url-access=subscription |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> it was the first [[design–build]] project for the agency and was funded by ST2 and federal grants to accelerate planning by four years from the rest of the deferred [[Federal Way Link Extension]].<ref name="KR-AngleLake">{{cite news |last=Klaas |first=Mark |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Welcomed station for area riders: Light rail extension comes to SeaTac |url=https://www.kentreporter.com/news/welcomed-station-for-area-riders-light-rail-extension-comes-to-seatac-slideshow/ |work=Kent Reporter |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> In 2015, Sound Transit introduced its first double-decker buses to increase capacity on the Seattle–Everett corridor and other Snohomish County routes operated by Community Transit, which already had its own double-decker fleet.<ref>{{cite news |last=Haglund |first=Noah |date=July 31, 2016 |title=Sound Transit's new double deckers headed for Snohomish County |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/sound-transits-new-double-deckers-headed-for-snohomish-county/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:U-Link Grand Opening (26129208665).jpg|thumb|right|The opening ceremonies for [[Capitol Hill station]] on the [[University Link tunnel|University Link Extension]] took place on March 19, 2016.]]

Central Link service was extended to Capitol Hill and the [[University of Washington]] campus on March 19, 2016, via a {{convert|3.15|mi|km|adj=mid}} tunnel that cost $1.9{{nbsp}}billion to construct (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1900000000|2016}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and was completed six month ahead of schedule.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beekman |first=Daniel |date=March 19, 2016 |title=Capitol Hill, UW light-rail stations open to big crowds |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/capitol-hill-uw-light-rail-stations-open/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The {{convert|1.6|mi|km|adj=mid}} southern extension to Angle Lake station opened on September 24 and was completed at a cost of $343{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|343000000|2016}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} below its original budget.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=September 22, 2016 |title=Angle Lake light-rail station opens Saturday with party |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/angle-lake-station-opens-saturday-with-celebration/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The First Hill Streetcar, funded by Sound Transit and built as part of the [[Seattle Streetcar]] network, opened two months earlier after a delay due in manufacturing streetcars with electric batteries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=January 23, 2016 |title=Seattle's First Hill Streetcar to open Saturday with free rides |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattles-first-hill-streetcar-to-open-saturday-with-free-rides/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> By late 2016, Light rail ridership reached a daily average of 66,203 weekday passengers—an increase of 89{{nbsp}}percent from late 2015—and necessitated the use of four-car trainsets.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Matthew |date=February 17, 2017 |title=2016 - The Year of Link |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/blog/platform/2016-year-link |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Times-Crowded">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 8, 2016 |title=Sound Transit keeping close eye on crowded light-rail trains |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-keeping-close-eye-on-crowded-light-rail-trains/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The agency carried 47{{nbsp}}million total passengers across all of its modes in 2017, with growth in its rail services and a slight decline in express buses.<ref name="Times-Ridership2018">{{cite news |last=Baruchman |first=Michelle |date=February 23, 2018 |title=Sound Transit light-rail riders increasing by the millions |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-light-rail-ridership-continue-to-grow/ |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel was fully transitioned to light rail use in March 2019 following the closure of the northern bus entrance; the tunnel's ownership was transferred to Sound Transit in October 2022 after the agency completed $87{{nbsp}}million in debt payments to King County Metro.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=October 27, 2022 |title=Sound Transit takes ownership of aging downtown Seattle tunnel |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-takes-ownership-of-aging-downtown-seattle-tunnel/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 27, 2024}}</ref>

===Sound Transit 3===
{{main|Sound Transit 3}}

The ST2 package included funds to produce studies on future transit projects for a potential third expansion package that would be known as [[Sound Transit 3]] (ST3).<ref name="ST3-2015">{{cite web |date=March 2015 |title=Progress Report: ST3 Planning |pages=134–139 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/2015_Q1_ST3Planning.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Studies of alternatives were launched in 2013 for several corridors, including a joint study with the [[Seattle Department of Transportation]] for the Downtown Seattle–[[Ballard, Seattle|Ballard]] corridor.<ref name="ST3-2015"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=June 27, 2013 |title=Options for Ballard light-rail service to be aired |page=B2 |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/options-for-ballard-light-rail-service-to-be-aired/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Sound Transit proposed a $15{{nbsp}}billion package to fund a pool of projects that were identified in an updated long-range plan adopted in December 2014, including deferred projects from Sound Move and ST2.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 21, 2014 |title=Sound Transit to seek new tax, fees to extend light-rail routes |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sound-transit-to-seek-new-tax-fees-to-extend-light-rail-routes/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Carson |first=Rob |date=December 9, 2014 |title=Wish list: Transit board set to bless future plan |page=A1 |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/traffic/article25902088.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> In July 2015, the state legislature approved a transportation spending package that included the agency's request to authorize a new set of taxes—including a [[property tax]]—pending voter approval of ST3 in the November 2016 election.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=July 5, 2015 |title=Sound Transit planning heats up for light-rail expansion and public vote |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-boosts-light-rail-expansion-plans/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

Long-time Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl went on medical leave in April 2014 following a brain injury and was replaced in the interim while a national search for a replacement was conducted.<ref name="Times-Rogoff2016">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=January 10, 2016 |title=New Sound Transit CEO expected to work nonstop for $300,000 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/new-sound-transit-ceo-expected-to-work-nonstop-for-300000/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Former FTA administrator [[Peter Rogoff]] was hired as the agency's new CEO in January 2016, while Earl was retained as CEO emeritus until the March opening of University Link, when she originally planned to retire.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="Times-Rogoff2016"/> The initial list of 70 candidate projects for ST3 was reduced to a priority list for the draft of the plan,<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 18, 2015 |title=Sound Transit nominates new CEO |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-nominates-new-ceo/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> which was released in March 2016. The draft plan proposed a 25-year program that would open new transit projects from 2028 to 2041 that would include all modes and ultimately extend Link light rail to a {{convert|108|mi|km|adj=mid}} network from Everett to Tacoma.<ref name="Times-ST3Draft">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=March 24, 2016 |title=$50B Sound Transit proposal: big taxes, big spending, big plan |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-proposal-includes-2nd-downtown-seattle-tunnel/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=June 8, 2016}}</ref> It was estimated to cost a total of $50{{nbsp}}billion over its lifetime, consisting of $27{{nbsp}}billion in new tax revenue alongside federal bonds and existing taxes and bonds.<ref name="Times-ST3Draft"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Gutman |first=David |date=September 26, 2017 |title=How did Sound Transit's $15 billion tax request reach $54 billion? Republicans say they were misled |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/how-did-sound-transits-15-billion-tax-request-reach-54-billion-republican-say-they-were-misled/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

The final ST3 plan was approved by the Sound Transit Board in June 2016 following several changes from the draft plan, including the addition of $4{{nbsp}}billion in bond capacity to accelerate the timeline for some projects and bring the total package to $53.8{{nbsp}}billion.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beekman |first=Daniel |date=June 23, 2016 |title=Sound Transit puts $54 billion light-rail plan on ballot |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/sound-transit-puts-54-billion-light-rail-plan-on-ballot/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=May 26, 2016 |title=Light-rail stations could open years earlier under new Sound Transit plan |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/light-rail-stations-could-open-sooner-under-new-sound-transit-plan/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> It included the addition of {{convert|62|mi|km}} to Link light rail with a network stretching to Everett in the north, [[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] to the east, and Tacoma to the south; a [[bus rapid transit]] network on [[Interstate 405 (Washington)|Interstate 405]] and [[Washington State Route 522|State Route 522]]; and capacity improvements to the Sounder South{{nbsp}}Line with an extension to DuPont.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Wilburn |first2=Thomas |last3=Shea |first3=Kelly |date=October 21, 2016 |title=ST3: What you'd pay, what you'd get |url=https://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/st3-guide/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=June 11, 2016 |title=Sounder South trains: so popular, Sound Transit's trying to add more |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sounder-south-trains-so-popular-sound-transits-trying-to-add-more/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> On November 8, 2016, the ST3 ballot measure was approved by 54{{nbsp}}percent of voters in the three-county district; it passed with a majority in King and Snohomish counties, but not in Pierce County.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mayo |first1=Justin |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=November 12, 2016 |title=See how the Sound Transit vote went in your neighborhood — and everywhere else |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/planned-light-rail-areas-big-backers-of-sound-transit-3/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=February 13, 2020 |title=Keep on paying: Washington state Supreme Court sides with Sound Transit in car-tab case |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/keep-on-paying-washington-state-supreme-court-sides-with-sound-transit-in-car-tab-case/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> An attempt to restrict the motor vehicle excise tax collected for ST3 to $30 was launched by Tim Eyman and passed in 2019 as [[2019 Washington Initiative 976|Initiative 976]], which was later ruled unconstitutional by the Washington Supreme Court.<ref>{{cite news |last=Santos |first=Melissa |date=October 15, 2020 |title=WA Supreme Court rules $30 car tab initiative is unconstitutional |url=https://www.cascadepbs.org/news/2020/10/wa-supreme-court-rules-30-car-tab-initiative-unconstitutional |work=Crosscut.com |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

In September 2019, Sound Transit announced plans to rename its services to use colors in preparation for the launch of more Link light rail lines; the existing Central Link would become the Red Line, while Tacoma Link became the Orange Line and East Link would become the Blue Line when it opened. The agency withdrew this plan after criticism from political groups for the use of the name "Red Line", which ran through areas where [[redlining]] had been historically practiced.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 14, 2019 |title=Facing objections, Sound Transit drops 'Red Line' as the name for its light-rail route |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/facing-objections-sound-transit-drops-red-line-as-the-name-for-its-light-rail-route/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> A new naming system based on numbers was announced in April 2020, with Central Link instead being renamed the 1{{nbsp}}Line.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shaner |first=Zee |date=April 9, 2020 |title=New line names coming in 2021 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/blog/platform/new-line-names-coming-2021 |work=The Platform |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The first ST3 projects to begin construction were the [[Downtown Redmond Link Extension|Downtown Redmond extension]] to East Link and the Federal Way Link Extension, which both were mostly deferred but had preliminary engineering funded by ST2.<ref>{{cite press release |date=February 25, 2016 |title=Sound Transit advances engineering for Federal Way, Redmond light rail extensions |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/sound-transit-advances-engineering-federal-way-redmond |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Groover |first1=Heidi |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=November 6, 2019 |title=Seattle, King County to sue over Eyman car-tab initiative; bus cuts to be determined |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/king-county-plans-to-sue-over-car-tab-initiative-while-bus-and-light-rail-cuts-remain-to-be-seen/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> In 2020, Link became the first light rail system in the U.S. to run entirely on [[renewable energy]] after Sound Transit enrolled in a direct purchase program for [[wind power]] from [[Puget Sound Energy]] to supplement its hydroelectricity from [[Seattle City Light]].<ref>{{cite press release |date=December 1, 2020 |title=Sound Transit light rail trains are now running on clean energy |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/sound-transit-light-rail-trains-are-now-running-clean |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

===COVID-19 pandemic and ST2 openings===

The local onset of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state)|COVID-19 pandemic]] in early 2020 led to a 67{{nbsp}}percent decline in Sound Transit ridership by mid-March after [[remote work]] policies were enacted by major employers in the Seattle area.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=March 12, 2020 |title=As ridership drops, should Seattle-area transit agencies trim service amid coronavirus outbreak? |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/as-ridership-drops-should-seattle-area-transit-agencies-trim-service-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Groover |first1=Heidi |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=March 18, 2020 |title=King County Metro will reduce bus service amid coronavirus outbreak |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/king-county-metro-reportedly-plans-to-cut-bus-service-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The agency halted its fare collection and enforcement for several months and reduced service in response to the decline in ridership and lack of available staff during the beginning of state-mandated [[COVID-19 lockdowns|lockdown measures]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Groover |first1=Heidi |last2=Baruchman |first2=Michelle |date=May 19, 2020 |title=Local transit systems make slow return to charging fares as coronavirus restrictions ease |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/local-transit-systems-make-slow-return-to-charging-fares-as-coronavirus-restrictions-ease/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> In April, Link service was reduced to a frequency of every 20{{nbsp}}minutes, several Sounder trips were suspended, and some Sound Transit Express routes were temporarily cancelled;<ref>{{cite press release |date=April 3, 2020 |title=ST to temporarily reduce service further on Link and ST Express routes serving Pierce and King counties |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/st-to-temporarily-reduce-service-further-link-st-express |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> by the following month, total ridership on the agency's services had declined 85{{nbsp}}percent to an average of 21,000 weekday passengers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Clarridge |first2=Christine |date=December 7, 2020 |title=Sound Transit temporarily reduces peak-hours service on Link light rail |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sound-transit-temporarily-reduces-peak-hour-service-on-link-light-rail/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Sound Transit also suspended most of its work on active construction projects until May due to the inability to meet public health guidelines on [[social distancing]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Groover |first2=Heidi |date=April 6, 2020 |title=Sound Transit halts 'almost all' construction work due to coronavirus outbreak |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-halts-almost-all-construction-work-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Normal frequencies on Link were restored in June 2021, shortly before capacity limits set by the state government were lifted.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=June 9, 2021 |title=Sound Transit light rail will improve to 8-minute frequency this weekend |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-light-rail-will-improve-to-8-minute-frequency-this-weekend/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Baruchman |first=Michelle |date=June 30, 2021 |title=Puget Sound transit systems will return to full capacity in July |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/puget-sound-transit-systems-will-return-to-full-capacity-in-july/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=March 23, 2025}}</ref> Some Sound Transit Express routes returned to normal service, while others remained suspended through 2022 due to a shortage of bus drivers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kroman |first=David |date=February 25, 2022 |title=Staffing shortages lead Sound Transit to reduce bus service |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/staffing-shortages-lead-sound-transit-to-reduce-bus-service/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Lynnwood City Center Station opening day festival - 01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lynnwood City Center station]] on its opening day in 2024]]

Light rail service on the 1{{nbsp}}Line in Seattle was extended north by three stations from the University District to Northgate on October 2, 2021. The majority of the {{convert|4.3|mi|km|adj=mid}} extension is tunneled and the $1.9{{nbsp}}billion construction cost was funded by ST2.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Baruchman |first2=Michelle |date=October 2, 2021 |title=New light-rail stations now open at U District, Roosevelt and Northgate |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/new-light-rail-stations-now-open-at-u-district-roosevelt-and-northgate/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The new stations drove an increase in Link ridership above its pre-pandemic figures, reaching over 80,000 daily boardings by 2023, despite the slower recovery for ridership at downtown stations.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Smoother sailing for light rail riders after weeks of repair |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/smoother-sailing-for-light-rail-riders-after-weeks-of-repair/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The system also set several one-day ridership records in July 2023 due to special events in Seattle, reaching 136,800{{nbsp}}passengers on July 23.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 11, 2023 |title=Seattle light rail sets ridership records amid big events, games |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-light-rail-sets-ridership-records-amid-big-events-games/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> Tacoma Link, now renamed the T{{nbsp}}Line, doubled in length to over {{convert|4|mi|km}} with the opening of an extension to the [[Stadium District, Tacoma, Washington|Stadium District]] and [[Hilltop, Tacoma, Washington|Hilltop]] neighborhoods on September 16, 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=September 16, 2023 |title=Sound Transit's Tacoma streetcar climbs the Hilltop starting this weekend |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transits-tacoma-streetcar-climbs-the-hilltop-starting-this-weekend/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The project was delayed by a year and cost $65{{nbsp}}million more than its original ST2 budget due to issues with relocating underground utilities during construction.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sailor |first=Craig |date=September 14, 2023 |title=Tacoma Link doubles in length Saturday. Sound Transit isn't delivering what they promised |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article279221189.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=April 22, 2023 |title=Contractor blames red tape for Tacoma light-rail project delay |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/contractor-blames-red-tape-for-tacoma-light-rail-project-delay/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

The [[2 Line (Sound Transit)|2{{nbsp}}Line]], formerly named East Link, was originally scheduled to open from Seattle to western Redmond in 2023, but was delayed a year by construction issues and a four-month strike by concrete delivery drivers.<ref name="Times-Delays2022">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 18, 2022 |title=More delays for light rail to Bellevue, Redmond, Federal Way, Lynnwood |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/more-delays-for-light-rail-to-bellevue-redmond-federal-way-lynnwood/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The $3.7{{nbsp}}billion project is the most expensive section of the ST2 package and had already been delayed three years due to disputes during its planning process. The opening of the {{convert|14|mi|km|adj=mid}} line was split into two phases to allow for the completed section between [[South Bellevue station|South Bellevue]] and [[Redmond Technology station|Redmond Technology]] stations to be used by passengers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 24, 2023 |title=Eastside-only light rail should open in March, Sound Transit says |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/eastside-only-light-rail-should-open-march-2024-sound-transit-says/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The initial section between Bellevue and Redmond opened on April 27, 2024. The western section of the 2{{nbsp}}Line, which uses the Interstate 90 floating bridge, is scheduled to open in late 2025 after the rebuilding of 5,455 concrete [[plinth]]s under the rails.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Kroman |first2=David |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Eastside light rail line opens as huge crowds try out the ride |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/eastside-light-rail-line-opens-as-huge-crowds-try-out-the-ride/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lindblom |first1=Mike |last2=Banner |first2=Ellen |date=April 14, 2023 |title=Bad light-rail ties on I-90 bridge can't be fixed, must be rebuilt |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/bad-light-rail-ties-on-i-90-bridge-cant-be-fixed-must-be-rebuilt/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The 1{{nbsp}}Line was extended {{convert|8.5|mi|km}} from Northgate into Snohomish County on August 30, 2024, with the opening of four stations in [[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]], Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Deshais |first1=Nicholas |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=August 30, 2024 |title=New light rail stations draw big crowds for first trips |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/new-light-rail-stations-draw-big-crowds-for-first-trips/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref> The opening of the [[Lynnwood Link Extension]] increased daily ridership on the 1{{nbsp}}Line to an average of 90,000 on weekdays in November despite reliability issues that led to major service disruptions by the end of 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=December 3, 2024 |title=Light rail delays again strike Sound Transit riders |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/light-rail-delays-again-strike-sound-transit-riders/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 24, 2024}}</ref>