Pierce County Wants Light Rail

UPDATE JUNE 2026
On May 28th, the Sound Transit Board of Directors approved a new system plan to address its predicted $35 billion budget shortfall of the next 25 years. Sound Transit is required by law to have an affordable system plan where all operation and construction can be achieved without surpassing the agency's debt capacity. The budget shortfall primarily came from significant cost increases for construction and labor, causing the planned project timeline to require taking on more debt at once than the agency is allowed to.
Read the Sound Transit press release here and more info about the Enterprise Initiative here.
Key Pierce County Takeaways
- Tacoma Dome Link Extension - No delays or project reductions, set to open in 2035.
- T-Line Tacoma Community College Extension - Funded for full project study, design, and construction, with a delay of 2 years. Now set to open in 2043. This project is still in the very early stages, so it is likely it will see changes in the future as study progresses.
- Sounder South Extension to DuPont - Funded for full study and design, but not construction. This project is primarily on land and railway that Sound Transit owns and is eligible for a significant federal grant. It is likely that the funding gap for this project will be easy to bridge once study is completed.
- Sounder South Additional Trips - While there is still significant funding to negotiate with BNSF for the ability to run more Sounder South trips on weekdays, evenings, and weekends, some of the funding was reallocated to different projects. Sound Transit will continue to negotiate with BNSF, which is a lengthy process.
Other Big News
- Ballard Link Extension - Ballard is funded for full project study and design, but construction is only partially funded to the Seattle Center stop.
- More work to do - Sound Transit is continuing to explore revenue options, cost savings, and policy updates that will make it easier to move projects forward quickly. This will include asking the legislature for things like increased bonding authority and permit reforms to simplify planning processes.
ACTION ALERT APRIL & MAY 2026
Sound Transit is facing a budget crisis that will impact projects across the region. While there’s a lot of nuance to what is being considered by Sound Transit (including cost saving project adjustments, new revenue sources, and internal policy updates), the most important thing you need to know is this: NOW is the time to SPEAK UP for Pierce County Projects.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
- Submit our action letter telling Sound Transit to get Link to Tacoma Dome, study the next extension of the T-Line, and invest in Sounder South – or customize it with your own priorities! [Est 1 – 5 minutes] CLOSED
- Sign the Build the Damn Trains Coalition’s petition telling Sound Transit to keep projects moving [Est 1 minute] CLOSED
- Complete the Sound Transit Tacoma Dome Link Extension survey [Est 5 – 10 minutes] CLOSED
- Attend a Tacoma Dome Link Extension open house. May 14 in Federal Way, May 18 in Fife, May 20 in Tacoma. COMPLETE
- Provide virtual or in-person comments at the May 28th Sound Transit board meeting in Seattle – or send in an email! COMPLETE
The Sound Transit Board of Directors is expected to make their proposal at the May 28th board meeting, so NOW is the time to make your voice heard and let the board know that PIERCE COUNTY WANTS LIGHT RAIL!
Enterprise Initiative Proposal Update (view proposal here):




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