Sound Transit seeks comments on proposed 2021 budget

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/11/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Capital and infrastructure projects under Sound Transit's proposed 2021 budget would total $2.5 billion.Photo – Sound Transit

Sound Transit is seeking input on its proposed 2021 budget, which projects revenue and other funding sources of $3 billion and expenditures of $3.1 billion.

Capital and infrastructure projects would total $2.5 billion, an increase of $105.8 million or 4.4%, compared to the 2020 budget. The funds will be primarily used for preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction for system expansion projects

The budget would also fund $46.1 million in state-of-good-repair projects.

The proposed 2021 operating budget is $380.6 million, which is 5.9% higher than the 2020 budget. The proposed increase is the result of higher operating costs related to the opening of the Northgate Link Extension and an operations and maintenance facility in 2021. 

“Recognizing our shrinking revenue [during the COVID-19 pandemic] and the need to find savings wherever we can, we are absorbing other anticipated cost increases internally, including increasing rates from our transit operating partners and higher costs associated with public safety, insurance and maintenance,” Sound Transit officials said in the budget document.

On Nov. 12, Sound Transit will host a virtual public hearing on the 2021 budget.