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When Sound Transit 3 was approved by voters, the package included a multi-million dollar planning study of a future light rail line to Renton. While I was on Council I helped hire a consultant to get this study started, and we now need to urgently get it finished.
We will likely see a proposed Sound Transit 4 in the next two to three years, as Sound Transit has been forced to make compromises on planned service and schedule due to rising costs and pandemic impacts. Polls show that voters in Seattle and surrounding areas remain highly in favor of mass transit (84 percent in Seattle), so any proposed Sound Transit 4 package is likely to pass, whether or not Renton is included in it or in favor of it.
A Sound Transit 4 package is likely to speed-up already approved projects, and Renton should insist on not waiting until 2040 for a light rail station. Given Renton’s already large 107,000 population, with thousands of new housing units currently in planning or construction, and zoning for tens of thousands more, a Renton light rail station should be targeted for 2030 or earlier.
Renton officials must assure that the voter-approved Renton planning study is completed, and that a Renton light rail connection is included in any future Sound Transit package.
The station location(s) should be identified,
The preliminary right-of-ways should be determined
The construction and operations costs should be estimated.
Ridership projections should be completed
Renton’s past and future contributions to Sound Transit should be professionally calculated, so a strong regional equity case can be made to include the rail line in any future packages
Renton’s elected officials should then work together to assure the package is included in any future Sound Transit 4 initiative
As I’ve covered in other blog entries, Renton taxpayers have already contributed an estimated one to two billion dollars to Sound Transit, and we’re obligated to spending billions more. Many Renton officials have worked hard to get this planning study authorized and underway. Getting our deserved light rail line will require that the council work together as a team, and keep the Renton light rail planning study at at the forefront so that we don’t run out of time.
We must work collaboratively on getting light rail to Renton, or Renton taxpayers will be paying billions for decades for most other cities in our area to have high speed rail transit while Renton gets left out.
Getting the approved planning study completed and Renton light rail line added to a future Sound Transit proposal will require strong collaboration by Renton’s elected officials. The plan I’ve outlined here was co-created with the many elected officials supporting me.
I look forward to you representing me and my family. Local governance plays such a critical role in our lives and we need you.
It’s hard to believe, that someone who fought so hard, for the Eastrail, arm-and-arm with Ron Sims, wants to bring Light Rail to Renton- with a Branch Line, which I presume will require changing trains at Tukwila International Boulevard Station. Essentially, this is a Shuttle Service, no-better than the F-Line!
We could have had All-Day DMU Commuter Rail along 405, connecting Seattle and Everett, as an alternative to the Mudslide-prone Sound Transit “Sounder” services. Indeed, studies were mandated by the State of Washington around 2006-2008 (where are the Studies?!). Instead, we have a trail route that was projected to average around 300 users daily (if that in today’s world), with plenty of places for homeless encampments, and a discrete highway for crime from Milton to Mount Vernon via Renton and Bellevue.
Things were better when the Woodinville Sub was shown capable of handling a Daily Passenger Service (even if it was for Tourists). The 10-car Spirit of Washington demonstrated that rail service was possible, but instead of building a Green Solution to 405 Traffic, Randy Corman, under County Executive Ron Sims, rammed-through a Trail-only Agenda, which will cost King County dearly for Decades- until Rectified! A “Branch Line” from Tukwila to Renton, is about as Practical as the Wings of a Dodo bird!
Such a Branch Line, will not positively contribute to the Traffic Problems of Renton and King County at all, but hinder the functionality of the Link System, and Public Transit overall.
Thank you for the comment NJHB,
Renton protested loudly when the State Department of Transportation and Burlington Northern reached a deal that abandoned the eastside rail line. Council Member Marcie Palmer and I were leaders in the fight. Here are two of the many articles I wrote on the topic at the time:
A branch line of LINK Light Rail that connects Tukwila to Renton’s new Rainier and Grady Transit center or the Landing could be a first phase of a southern-eastside line that runs from Tukwila to Bellevue. Since taxpayers in Newcastle and Southern Bellevue are also contributing to Sound Transit, they also deserve a future rail connection.
The Eastrail is actually a federal “rail bank,” that keeps the corridor right-of-way intact so that it remains available for potential future rail or trail. The alternative to a trail was that BNSF would sell the corridor piecemeal to all the adjacent property owners, and the right-of-way would be gone forever. This was one of the reasons I so adamantly favored a trail after we lost the fight to keep the eastside rail in operation. An extension of the Light Rail from Renton to Bellevue would likely go down the center of I-405 (which is preferred by regional forums for safety and ridership density reasons) or potentially share the rail-banked corridor with the trail. Both of these concepts have been discussed in regional transportation planning meetings, and the I-405 alignment is preferred.
It’s not equitable for Renton taxpayers to pay for nearly every other jurisdiction to enjoy the benefits of light rail while not being served ourselves. I have worked hard to remedy this inequity in the past, and I will continue to do so.
The Functionality of this Proposed Branch Line is Dubious at Best. I’ve personally experimented with the most efficient way of reaching Downtown Seattle and Downtown Renton. It takes approx. 40 Minutes to reach Tukwila International Boulevard Station from Chinatown Station, and roughly another 30 Minutes to Renton’s current Transit Center by the F-Line. The 101 takes 30-35 Minutes to reach SoDo Station from DTR- with Heavy Traffic. What’s the Difference? You don’t need to “change modes” so far out of the way.
A Tukwila-Renton Branch means changing Trains “for” Seattle. The 101 allows you to change “to” trains IN Seattle. If Renton is Connected via the East Link using the old Woodinville Sub- with a Wye from Downtown Bellevue station and the next station- on the RR grade in Bellevue, it provides an Efficient Connection for Renton-Bellevue Commuters, and an Equally-Viable Alternate Route to Seattle.
Many of Renton’s Commuters, work on the Eastside. You hardly see Traffic on 405 Westbound from the 167 Interchange, during the Morning Rush Hours. Eastbound-Northbound is Always Congested. And for the Seattle Commuters: even with I-5 congestion, you still get from the SR900 (MLK) on/off-ramps to SoDo (via the Spokane Street exit) in a timely manner.
See for yourself: Take the F-Line from DTR to Tukwila International Boulevard, then Link to SoDo Station. Do the Equivalent Commute to Seattle via the 101 from DTR to SoDo. Time yourself. How long you stay in motion, is just as important as your routing, and the shortest time-over-distance commute to Seattle from Renton, is the Most-Direct and Most-Efficient. As an Engineer, you can appreciate Efficiency, no?
Mr. Corman, We the People, the People of Renton, the People of King County- NEED to Ease 405 Traffic with the Trains, more than a Branch Line from Tukwila. The possible Routings, Logistics, and Time for the Commute, just make little to no sense. Renton needs Commuter Trains, but This- THIS is Not the way to do so..
NJHB I appreciate your comments and the dialog on this multi-billion-dollar equity and fairness issue for Renton, and significant environmental issue for our region. And I also agree with you that a Southern-Eastside line should be in the future. I will readily jump aboard any campaign that pushes for such a line.
Future Link Light Rail will all be grade separated, and able to travel at high speeds even in congested commute times. Transfers between lines can happen more quickly as ridership increases and trains run more frequently. Buses will continue to get slower and slower with time.
A finished Southern-Eastside Link Light Rail line should connect to the rest of the link system in Both Tukwila and Bellevue, since many Renton commuters will be going south toward Federal Way and Tacoma, and they won’t want to ride the system to Bellevue, across to Seattle, then South to Tacoma. Similarly, commuters coming to Renton’s large employment base (Boeing, etc) from Federal Way and Tacoma will not want to go all the way to Seattle-Bellevue and then south to get here.
I agree with you that Renton would benefit immensely from a Renton-Bellevue connection, and would join you at any effort to make this happen.
This blog entry really concerns the one leg that Sound Transit has already included in their documents, the Tukwila to Renton leg; even that study appears to be languishing right now.
In summary, I want to move forward with the study that’s already been funded, and I agree that Renton needs and deserves even more.
Thanks again for your comments!
Yes, we have a fair amount of commuters coming from the south, but for those living in Renton, who commute into Bellevue and Seattle, their needs have been long overdue for addressing. This is reading more towards catering to those who come-in, over who is already here. No disrespect to those who commute into Renton, but they’re not tied to this City, those who live here in Renton- are.
We cannot afford much-longer to put others needs ahead of the people who live in Renton. They tell you to put the Oxygen Mask on before you help others, in a Flight Emergency. If a Bellevue-Tukwila route is Put-Forth as a Whole, rather than Piecemeal (I.E. We’ll build Tukwila-Renton, then go on in a decade or so- maybe; risking further delays or outright cancellation), then the Tukwila Branch makes sense. If there’s No Guarantee of a Timely Completion of a Full Tukwila-Renton-Bellevue route, instead of just a Tukwila-Renton branch, catering to the 9-to-5 Workforce (grade separation or not), then it’s pointless. Equipment Utilization will be extremely inefficient. Transfer of cars due to external factor(s) will be a logistical bottleneck, and really- it will be a Rush-Hour line, no better than the Sounder services on the BNSF mainline.
Other improvements need to be made to the Link System (cut-off wye lines, primarily- for better connectivity), because the system’s layout is unusually incongruous concerning the Eastlink. Renton however- has been a “Bus Backwater” since the “Thrust Forward-era,” and while everyone in King County has paid the price, Renton has suffered the worst, compared to other cities in the region. We need it fixed yesterday, but not in Half-Measures, like a Rush-Hour-only Branch Line. A Route (with appropriate routing cutoffs), that serves Commuters and Renton Residents alike, from Tukwila to Bellevue via Renton- will serve all more beneficially, and provide extra redundancy to the Link System (something the Sounder doesn’t have in routing).
You’re welcome for this engagement, Mr. Corman. This is far from “settled” matter, and frankly, a holistic and pragmatic approach will be needed to solve Renton, and Link’s long-standing issues.
I appreciate your perspective and insight NJHB, and would enjoy joining up to ensure Renton gets good connectivity in the coming years. Please feel free to email me at randycorman at gmail dot com if you ever want to get together to plan in person.
I propose a way to address the light rail situation in South-East King County.
1. Build a line from Renton that continues along Skyway into Rainier Beach. This would continue along the existing 1 line to Seattle. Even better, start from Maple Valley and go along 169.
2. Build a line from Lynnwood along 405 down to SeaTac airport (with a stop at Tukwila Intl. for switching to the 1 line). This is useful for Eastside people to get to the airport as well as to travel between Bellevue, Renton, Redmond for work. 405 is hectic and light rail can be a breath of fresh air for everyone along the corridor.
3. Replace the existing 1 line with a route from Angle Lake directly to Seattle, skipping the stops along Rainier Beach and Mount Baker, and instead passing through new stops in Tukwila and South Seattle along I-5 and SR-599. The new line from Maple Valley will take the old route passing by Rainier Beach.
Furthermore, a major Renton station can be used as a place to switch trains between both these new lines. Lastly, better bus service should be provided to the nearby hills in Renton’s area, such as Fairwood, Benson Hill, East Renton Highlands, etc. to act as a shuttle to these light rail stations.
I should add that Rainier beach should still have access to the 1 line in some way. I think the Seattle Subway vision map does show this concept pretty well, and it should be in the form of a high speed, high frequency (automatic maybe?) transfer monorail of sorts. Or we can have a high speed shuttle from Renton to Rainier Beach as well. The goal is these train systems should be fast and seamless for all stops to access their most common destinations.
Randy, I am so thankful you documented this very important history as it was happening. Living through it was surreal. Our beloved Spirit of Washington Dinner Train was being abruptly and unfairly halted with no apparent concern for Renton! If I remember right, they brought in to the City of Renton something like $1Million a year in Tourist taxes? This article reminds me of the pain, frustration and anger we were experiencing. Initially, I was not a fan of the trail. But I understood rail-banking and it was the only hope for rail from Renton to Bellevue in the future. We need to remember the hard opposition from some waterfront owners that was very influential during this time.
For a fantastic history of the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train this is the best:
https://www.historylink.org/File/20637
Marcie Palmer
Renton City Council Member
2004-2025
Transportation/Aviation Committee Chair