(The Center Square) – Sound Transit board members are expected to approve a contract of up to $19.5 million Thursday for continuing engineering studies on the proposed Ballard light rail line, even though key portions of the line could be scrapped as early as May.
Sound Transit officials are considering eliminating the Ballard station in Seattle and other stations on the line because the estimated cost to build it is more than twice the original $10 billion estimate.
The original number dates back to 2016 when voters approved a more than $50 billion bond issue to expand the light rail system to Ballard, West Seattle, Bellevue, Lynnwood, Everett and Tacoma.
Only the Bellevue and Lynnwood extensions have been built so far.
Sound Transit spokeswoman Rachelle Cunningham said the continuing engineering study has already been approved by the board’s system expansion committee.
She said the existing contract with engineering firm HNTB is being extended to move development of the entire Ballard Link Extension project forward through publication of the draft and final environmental impact statements.
She said the firm will also “explore further cost saving measures” for the transit line.
Cunningham said the additional contract period is 20 months.
The contract to be voted on by the board tomorrow is for $16.2 million and includes a 20% contingency to cover potential increased engineering costs.
Ballard residents held a rally on April 19 calling for the Ballard stop to be saved.
They have been paying higher property, sales and auto registration taxes since they approved the rail system expansion ten years ago.
Sound Transit officials have said they expect the final decision on the Ballard line and station cuts will be made at a board meeting in May or June.
