The July 9th Sound Transit Finance and Audit Committee Meeting agenda includes the Q2 2026 Update to the Internal Audit Report. The latest version of the 2025 Year-End Internal Audit Report in the committee’s March 13th meeting. The May 5/14/26 meeting video included charts showing 2025 Financial Audit results on April 9th with the auditor's comments concerning,“Significant difficulties encountered during the audit” and “Disagreements with Management”.
The 2026 “Audit Dashboard” chart showed 39 total audits with 6 completed, 4 in progress, 26 not started and 3 postponed. Again, the July 9th agenda included a Q2 2026 Update to the financial audit. What’s missing is any audit of Sound Transit light rail train’s ability to reduce the area’s roadway congestion.
For example, how many riders did extensions beyond Northgate, SeaTac, or Redmond Technology Center attract? How many riders did light rail trains on recent extensions to Lynnwood and Federal Way attract vs. those on bus routes available throughout service area?
What is the likely ridership for light rail trains beyond Lynnwood and Federal Way? Does the predicted ridership justify spending hundreds of millions on light rail extensions or maintenance facilities for the trains? How many commuters will light rail extensions to Ballard and Alaska Junction in West Seattle add? Again, with both service areas having better access to bus routes that avoid the need for boring a second tunnel under Seattle and second bridge over Duwamish waterway.
How many riders will benefit from routing 2 Line trains through DSTT to Lynnwood and beyond vs. terminating the route at CID, reducing the need for second tunnel and allowing service to meet eastside demand?
The bottom line is Sound Transit needs to audit their light-rail-train's ability to attract riders needed to reduce roadway congestion and the cost of providing that service.
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