Seattle’s Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration will publish a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Ballard Link Extension on December 11, 2026. Public comments on the draft EIS will be accepted through February 9, 2027.
Route and Stops for Ballard Link Extension
The Ballard Link Extension will create a 12.4 km branch off the existing 1 Line, running from the SODO neighborhood northwest to Ballard. The extension includes a 5.3 km tunneled section and will serve up to nine stops. It will serve neighborhoods such as the Chinatown-International District, Downtown Seattle, South Lake Union, Uptown, Interbay, and Ballard, providing a second route through Downtown
Seattle.
The line will interchange with the 1 and 2 lines at Westlake station, improving rail network connectivity across the Seattle metropolitan area.
Funding and Construction Status
Construction of the section from SODO to Seattle Center is fully funded under the updated Sound Transit 3 system expansion plan, which voters approved in November 2016. However, funding has not yet been secured for the next segment from Seattle Center to Market Street in Ballard, which is also covered in the draft EIS.
Sound Transit’s Project Goals and Next Steps
Sound Transit has expressed commitment to reducing project costs, enhancing financial capacity, and securing remaining funding to open the entire extension simultaneously. The
Sound Transit Board will review the draft EIS analysis and consider public, agency, and Tribal feedback during 2027 before confirming or adjusting the preferred project option.
A final environmental impact statement will subsequently be prepared to support the board’s decision on the project’s scope and construction.
