The 01/21/21 post on this blog, "Northgate Link Exemplifies Light Rail Spine Debacle" detailed why its debut in September would demonstrate Sound Transit should have never extended Central Link routed through DSTT to Northgate. That the Sound Transit website was delusional, describing the Link as a "2.4 billion, 4.2-mile, 3-station extension that will operate every 6 minutes during peak hours with projected ridership 41,000 to 49,000 by 2022".
The video of a November 19th, 2020 Sound Transit Board meeting showed their plan for Northgate Link debut in September 2021. The board was told "the people were excited about the ability to ride Northgate Link."
The post opined its debut will demonstrate what should have been obvious to anyone with a modicum of transit competence, that the extension will do nothing to reduce I-5 congestion. That only a fraction of the 41,000 to 49,000 riders will ever ride the Northgate Link. That even worse, those who do ride will reduce access for University Link riders, particularly during peak commute.
It turns out "those excited about the ability to ride the Northgate Link" will have to wait. The November 19th video was followed by a Sound Transit "Agency Progress Report:December 2020". It included a chart, "Link Light Rail Program Overview" with Program Schedules including the below Activity ID and the start and finish dates for the Northgate Link Extension
Activity ID Start Finish 1050 Systems Construction 10-May-12 28-Jan-22 1060 Systems Startup/Testing 13-Feb-19 26-Sept-22 1070 Revenue Service Date 26-Sept-22
Sound Transit would have you believe between the November 19th video of the board unanimously accepting their plan to debut extension in September and the day they put the Northgate Link Program Schedule in the December Agency Progress Report they discovered the need to delay it for a year. That rather than begin operating the extension in September they wouldn't finish construction until the next January. That it took more than 3 years of testing before revenue service could begin.
(Apparently CEO Rogoff or whoever scheduled the delay were unaware the same document included a later chart, "Northgate Link Extension Project Cash Flow Projection". It included the following: The project cost is forecast to reach $1.74B by September, 2021, by the time the project opens for revenue service.)
The more likely reason is even Sound Transit finally recognized Northgate Link operation will demonstrate light rail routed through the DSTT doesn't reduce congestions. That the debut will expose the futility of funding light rail routed through the DSTT to Lynnwood and beyond and to Federal Way and beyond. Those funds should have been used to expedite Ballard and West Seattle Links.
CEO Rogoff's decision to delay Northgate debut for a year, allowing him to spend another year and billions more on the spine, seems beyond mere incompetence. He needs to be asked why the delay. Something the Sound Transit Board and the Seattle Times assiduously refuse to do. My campaign for King County Executive will.
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