<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0twqHg_1GoEl8UE00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0twqHg_1GoEl8UE00" width="755" height="402" ><figcaption>Courtesy of Sound Transit</figcaption></figure>Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration have announced plans to publish the draft environmental impact statement for the Ballard Link Extension on Dec. 11, beginning a 60-day public comment period.The draft EIS will evaluate the potential impacts and benefits of project alternatives, including route and station locations, Sound Transit said in a release. The public can review the analysis and comment through Feb. 9, 2027.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1V60c9_1GoEl8UE00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1V60c9_1GoEl8UE00" width="842" height="1224" ><figcaption>(Courtesy of Sound Transit)</figcaption></figure>The proposed project would extend light rail 7.7 miles from SODO to Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, with a 3.3-mile rail-only tunnel. The draft EIS covers the entire route to Market Street in Ballard.The SODO-to-Seattle Center segment is fully funded for construction under the updated ST3 System Plan and is expected to open in 2042, Sound Transit said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0BUCyw_1GoEl8UE00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0BUCyw_1GoEl8UE00" width="1614" height="906" ><figcaption>(Courtesy of Sound Transit)</figcaption></figure>The updated plan seeks to address an estimated $34.5 billion funding gap over the next two decades by identifying which projects are affordable within existing resources and which can be funded through planning and design, RT&amp;S reported in June.The system plan lists the Ballard Link Extension’s final design phase among projects funded within existing resources. Construction from Seattle Center to Market Street is not currently funded in the agency’s Long-Range Financial Plan, according to the plan page.The Sound Transit Board will consider ways to restore funding for projects in that category as uncertainties about costs and revenue are resolved, according to the plan page. Sound Transit said in the release that it is working to reduce project costs, increase financial capacity and secure the remaining construction funding so the full extension can open at the same time.<h2>Environmental Review</h2>The draft EIS was prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act and the State Environmental Policy Act. It evaluates project alternatives to inform the public, Tribes, government agencies and decision makers, according to the release.The document will be available through an online open house, and printed copies will also be available.Members of the public can review the analysis of route and station location alternatives, potential impacts, and strategies to reduce those impacts and submit comments at virtual and in-person meetings or by email, voicemail, or mail. The online open house will include meeting information and a way to sign up for project updates.After considering the analysis and feedback from the public, agencies, and Tribes, the Sound Transit Board will confirm or modify the preferred alternative in 2027, the release said. Sound Transit will then prepare a final EIS, followed by the board’s final decision on the project to be built.</div></body>

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Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration have announced plans to publish the draft environmental impact statement for the Ballard Link Extension on Dec. 11, beginning a 60-day public comment period. The draft EIS will evaluate the potential impacts and benefits of project alternatives, including route and station locations, Sound...

Sound Transit, FTA to Release Ballard Link Extension Draft EIS

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Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration have announced plans to publish the draft environmental impact statement for the Ballard Link Extensio

Sound Transit, FTA to Release Ballard Link Extension Draft EIS

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