Western Washington has 38 Link stations and 12 Sounder stations, but this isn’t enough. Given that the region has more than 4 million people, signs suggest that we need to get out of our cars, and build more trains.
I take the light rail on a near daily basis. I use it to commute, travel to the airport, and go downtown. Despite needing to take a bus to my nearest light rail station, trains are still a vital way in how I get around. I’ve found that rail is convenient and efficient, as it isn’t forced to slow down in traffic, and isn’t forced to reroute for construction. Unfortunately, buses are.
Not to understate the county’s bus network, as 260,000 passengers and 27% of UPrep respondents ride King County Metro on an average weekday alone, I believe that rail should represent itself as the bigger share of regional transportation.
Firstly, trains last longer than buses, and rail infrastructure is capable of lasting half a century with maintenance, according to Jon Highland with Sound Transit. The default useful life of a bus is 14 years, according to the Federal Transit Administration’s guidance. In comparison, light rail vehicles have a useful life of 31 years, and commuter passenger rail, 39 years.
Trains also have higher capacity. One light rail train can hold 600-800 passengers, according to Sound Transit. Various sources report that articulated buses, which measure 60 feet in length, only have a capacity of 94-120 passengers.
A survey conducted by the Puma Press found that of 67 respondents from the Upper School staff and student body, almost 68% of respondents would take light rail to and from school if stations were in their neighborhood and closer to UPrep (the closest station is Roosevelt, 1.6 miles away).
When the Lynnwood Link Extension opened in August of 2024, all stations offered reliable bus connections, bathrooms, parking garages, and pedestrian-friendly connections into surrounding neighborhoods. Taking light rail is as easy as it has ever been, and future surface-level or elevated stations will likely offer similar amenities.
For most students across Seattle, rail is not yet the easiest way to get around the city. And given that Sound Transit faces issues with funding, system expansion will take time. The most recent voter-approved light rail expansion, the Sound Transit 3 Initiative, is not planned to be fully delivered until 2044. As it stands, it also seems like the Ballard extension might be further delayed or cut from ST3 altogether.
In the coming decades, students and faculty should expect continued financial difficulties and delays with light rail delivery in the region. Given these challenges, voters should not limit funding for public transit. If the community supports projects that better connect the Seattle area, living standards will improve holistically. As for now, I encourage people to take the light rail more, and reflect on the seriousness that it offers as a tool to fight climate change. More people will ride rail when it becomes competitive with buses and cars, and that requires expansion.
Seattle Subway, a rail expansion advocacy group, supports the creation of a rail system that serves as many people as possible. Check out their vision map here.
