What is Proposition 1?
Fast!
- With 36 miles of new Light Rail, frequent trains will run East to Bellevue and Microsoft, North to Lynnwood and Northgate, and South to Federal Way. Read more about Light Rail expansion »
- Rail lines don’t get stuck in traffic and have the capacity to grow with demand.
- Light Rail can eliminate one million drivers from the road, improving congestion for everyone.
- Funds are provided for a Tacoma Link extension, Eastside Commuter Rail, and Bothell & Burien parking garages. Sounder stops added at Broad St. and Ballard in Seattle.
Immediate!
- Express Bus service will increase by 17% across-the-board and up to 30% on the highest-demand routes — beginning immediately. Read more about Express Bus service improvements »
- Sounder Commuter Rail service will expand by 65% between Lakewood, Tacoma and Seattle. Station access and parking is improved. Read more about Commuter Rail service improvements »
- A new Bus Rapid Transit service will connect Seattle to Microsoft and Redmond across SR-520.
Affordable!
- Proposition 1 costs the average person just $69 per year — or about the cost of a fill-up.
- A modest sales tax increase 0.5%. The tax increase rolls back after the construction is finished.
Green!
- Light Rail and new hybrid Express Buses reduce carbon emissions.
- Nearly 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions saved per year.
- Proposition 1 is endorsed by The Sierra Club and Washington Conservation Voters.
- Mass transit replaces car trips in our most congested corridors, cutting emissions and preventing wasteful idling. Mass transit also promotes more environmentally-friendly development.
Accountable!
- The measure requires strict audits and requires that your dollars are invested in your community.
- Independent audits of Sound Transit are built into the plan for strict scrutiny of the agency’s progress. A citizen oversight panel delivers regular reports on agency progress and finances.
Expandable!
- There are already blueprints for future Light Rail expansions South to Tacoma, North to Everett, and East to Redmond. Early work will begin on these expansions so their development can be accelerated.
- Sound Transit engineers will begin planning Light Rail routes to Ballard, Burien, Issaquah, Kirkland, Renton, and West Seattle.
- A progress check halfway through Proposition 1’s construction will determine whether it makes sense to fund additional mass transit investments.
Photo from Seattle Transit Blog
