Leaders want pledge that Everett light rail will be on time
SEATTLE — As Sound Transit leaders confront surging cost estimates of expansion plans, Snohomish County officials are urging against saving money by delaying the extension of light rail to Everett.
The regional transit agency says the tab for Sound Transit 3 projects, including the Everett Link light rail extension, could be $11.5 billion more than when voters approved them in 2016.
Soaring prices for real estate — which is needed for right-of-way — plus higher costs for labor, materials and environmental work are the driving factors. Decreased revenue during the pandemic further complicates the equation, though the agency will receive $460 million in federal aid to soften the blow.
“There’s more project than money. We are going to have to make some hard decisions,” said Everett Councilman Paul Roberts, a vice chairman of the Sound Transit Board of Directors and one of three Snohomish County representatives on the panel.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/leaders-want-pledge-that-everett-light-rail-will-be-on-time/
