130th Street Station Accelerated and Graham and Boeing Access Stations will also be restored to original construction timeline
SEATTLE (August 5, 2021) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued the follow statement after the Sound Transit Board of Directors voted on responsible realignment legislation and to keep Graham Street Station on time and to accelerate construction of the 130th Street Station. Mayor Durkan, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and King County Council Chair Balducci had been advocating for this approach since earlier this year:
“Transit is critical for a healthy city. It reduces our green house gas emissions, increases economic vitality, and opens doors for communities. Equitable implementation of transit means access to jobs, education, healthcare, the outdoors, each other and opportunity.
“For years in Seattle and our region, investment in transit has not been equitable. Communities of color deserve first access to transit improvements, not delays and less safe options. Together with others on this Board, I have worked hard to ensure this realignment package does not repeat history and leave communities most reliant on transit behind. We are also making smart decisions like accelerating construction on 130th.
“I cannot overstate the importance of the Graham Street station to the community, especially in Southeast Seattle. For almost 20 years the area around Graham Street has been promised for light rail development and better transit access. Graham Street Station will also serve 87% historically underserved communities and communities of color – significantly more than the Sound Transit district as a whole. Graham Street Station was a test of our commitment to communities of color, which is why I put forward a motion to restore its construction date back to 2031. “I am thankful to all my fellow Sound Transit Board Members who voted in favor of restoring Graham Street to 2031. I am also grateful to all who worked on a realignment package that keeps us on schedule for most projects and keeps costs down – we know that we are on verge of major opportunities for federal funding with the leadership of President Biden and our federal delegation to make once in a lifetime investments in infrastructure. By taking advantage of additional funding opportunities and controlling costs, we can keep building the transit system of the future that our region deserves.”