Sound Transit Board Fires CEO Peter Rogoff

(I submitted the below post to Seattle Times in response to their request for headlines readers would like to see in 2019.  I posted it since they will likely ignore it.)

Sound Transit Board Fires CEO Peter Rogoff

Today the Sound Transit Board of Directors announced their decision to terminate CEO Peter Rogoff.    While he was successful in garnering public support for extending light rail with ST3 he has failed to recognize the limitations on light rail capacity with the decision to route the Prop 1 extensions through the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT).   

While he’s apparently managed to effectively direct the construction of the light rail extensions he’s failed to recognize their capacity is limited by the number of train cars per hour times the number of riders in each car.   That in 2004 the PSRC concluded DSTT station lengths limited Central Link trains to 4 cars, that safe operation required a minimum of 4 minutes between trains, and that each 74-seat car could accommodate 148 riders.

The resultant 8880 riders per hour in each direction clearly belies Rogoff’s claim the Lynnwood Link would attract 68,500 riders daily.  The fact the ridership claim was the principle reason the FTA recently granted Sound Transit $1.2 billion for funding casts a cloud over future federal support for the entire area’s transit system funding.

Rogoff also apparently doesn’t recognize the need to provide riders with access to light rail for the commutes both into and out of Seattle.   All the P&R’s with access to light rail stations have been full for years yet rather than add parking Sound Transit has decided to reserve 50% of stalls in existing P&Rs for late arrivals; essentially ending access to transit for half those arriving earlier.  Meanwhile only a total of 1500 stalls will be added at the Lynnwood Link stations.  Instead he plans to use the Lynnwood Link to replace bus routes; adding light rail riders but doing little to reduce HOV congestion and nothing to reduce GP congestion.

Central Link’s limited capacity also means any riders the Lynnwood Link attracts will reduce access for those currently riding University Link and soon to be riding Northgate extension.  (When East Link begins operation south end commuters will also loose half their current capacity.) 

Those able to ride the Central Link extensions into Seattle will likely have problems finding access for the return trip.  Presumably most will attempt to do so at the two stations in the DSTT.   However it’s questionable whether stations that limit trains to 4-cars will have the platform space, approximately 7 sq ft per rider, needed for even the PSRC’s limited ridership.

Rogoff’s failure to recognize Central Link “limitations” is particularly evident in Sound Transit’s 2019 Budget long-term plan for 2017 to 2041.  His Lynnwood Link claim for 68,500 daily riders is dwarfed by the budget 2041 claim for 162 million riders or ~ 500,000 weekday riders; the vast majority of whom will use Central Link extensions.  Even a fraction of that ridership would end access for many light rail riders.

Rogoff’s matches his failure to recognize the limitations of light rail with his apparent disdain for the benefits of increased bus transit capacity.  While he promises BRT along I-405 in 2024 his 2019 budget long term plan continues the decade long refusal to increase bus transit capacity until at least 2041.  Sound Transit only adds 400 parking stalls along I-405 yet plans to spend $300 million on a Kirkland T/C without any parking for access.  They refused to include BRT on SR520 as part of ST3, instead intend to study it for later.

The bottom line is the Sound Transit Board should fire Rogoff.  He not only fails to recognize the DSTT limitations on light rail capacity, he refuses to implement the transit capacity available with added bus service.  He also refuses to add the parking needed for access to either transit mode. That riders added by the light rail extensions will reduce or potentially end access for current riders.

Company boards are responsible for directing company policies.  Members serve on boards because they’ve demonstrated the level of competence needed to help direct company policies.  Anyone with a modicum of transit competence would recognize CEO Rogoff’s long-range plan demonstrates his inability to effectively head Sound Transit.  His 2019 Budget spends billions more and another year on fatally flawed light rail extensions.  The Sound Transit Board has an obligation to make it his last.