What is the approved budget of Sound Transit 3?
Sound Transit 3 (ST3) is the 25-year regional transit expansion plan approved by about 55 percent of voters in the Seattle area on 8 November 2016, which promised 62 more miles of light rail, more bus rapid transit, park-and-ride capacity and expanded commuter rail, with construction running to 2041. The plan was priced at USD 53.8 billion at approval, and in March 2026 MyNorthwest and the Lynnwood Times reported that Sound Transit faced a USD 34.5 billion gap to deliver it, with the West Seattle and Ballard extensions costing far more than first planned and Line 2 due to open on 28 March 2026.
Approved budget
$53.8 billion
Cost basis: 2016
Oran Viriyincy from Santa Barbara, United StatesCC BY 2.0
Cost evidence
Basis of the published figure
Approved budget2016
Project metrics
Key dimensions
- Total lengthFOX 13 Seattle
- 99.779 km
Project record
Planned completion
FOX 13 Seattle2041