Panel urges Sound Transit to closely monitor spending

Panel urges Sound Transit to closely monitor spending

Sound Transit's costs are rising dramatically, and it's hard to tell if it's because more service is being provided or individual costs are being inflated, an oversight group said.

In a report issued last week, the agency's Citizen Oversight Panel said "costs in virtually every area of Sound Transit operations continue to grow rapidly, reflecting increases both in transit service and base agency operations."

The report, presented to the agency's board, said operating costs are set to increase nearly 8 percent this year from last year, to $65.4 million, which includes salaries and benefits for 394 employees. The staff will include 22 new positions, 18 of them in transportation services.

The report urged the Seattle-based transit agency to more closely monitor costs "so that a culture of cost control and operational efficiency becomes established."

Despite what many Puget Sounders think, between Sound Transit and Metro the Seattle Metro area has a pretty great bus system. Keeping an eye on costs is always a good thing but if people aren't careful a "culture of cost control" could turn into a "culture of cutting service" that would impact people in poor areas that need bus service the most.

U.S. to finance 40 percent of light rail extension costs

U.S. to finance 40 percent of light rail extension costs
"The federal government will increase its contribution and finance more than 40 percent of the cost of extending Sound Transit light rail service from downtown Seattle to the University of Washington.

Groundbreaking for construction will be in a few weeks, and work to remove buildings from a Capitol Hill station site will begin this month.

Federal Transit Administration acting chief Sherry Little said Thursday her agency will finance $813 million of the $1.9 billion project. Federal approval came, Little said, after her agency insisted that Sound Transit add $127 million in 'contingency' amounts for unforeseen costs of tunneling, 'one of the riskier components' of the expense."

This is good news. I'm not too thrilled that this leg will end at Husky Stadium, I'd rather have it go the Ave somewhere but I guess the extension from their though to Lynnwood will take care of that.