Yesterday, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) sent a letter to Sound Transit's Board of Directors in support of completing the light rail regional spine from Everett to Tacoma:
“Completing the spine is critical to creating jobs, providing more affordable transportation options, expanding equitable access to transit and promoting regional connectivity," said Rep. Larsen. “Doing so will help Sound Transit capitalize on the significant federal transit investments already made in our region.”
Rep. Larsen is the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 (BIL), which invested $341.1 million into Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension, in addition to other historic investments in local infrastructure across the country. In total, the Lynnwood Link Extension project received $1.3 billion in federal funding, which Rep. Larsen helped secure.
“In the Pacific Northwest, transportation means jobs: workers need reliable ways to get to employment centers, students need access to education and training, families need affordable transportation options, and businesses need confidence that people and goods can move efficiently,” Rep. Larsen continued. “The Everett Link Extension will improve access to one of the region’s most important employment centers and industries.”
Last week, Rep. Larsen’s BUILD America 250 Act passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill continues the historic investments started by the BIL, including $87.5 billion over five years to expand and improve transit networks across America.
Rep. Larsen's full letter to the Sound Transit Board of Directors is available here and below.
May 27, 2026
Board of Directors
Sound Transit
401 S. Jackson Street
Seattle, WA, 98104
Dear Board of Directors:
I write in support of completing the light rail regional spine from Everett to Tacoma. Completing the spine is critical to creating jobs, providing more affordable transportation options, expanding equitable access to transit and promoting regional connectivity. Doing so will help Sound Transit capitalize on the significant federal transit investments already made in our region.
Reliable public transit is essential to a strong regional economy. In the Pacific Northwest, transportation means jobs: workers need reliable ways to get to employment centers, students need access to education and training, families need affordable transportation options, and businesses need confidence that people and goods can move efficiently. The Everett Link Extension will improve access to one of the region’s most important employment centers and industries. The SW Industrial Station will connect light rail to Paine Field for the first time, providing better transit access for workers in the aerospace industry. The Boeing Everett Factory alone employs more than 30,000 people, and more than 1,300 other aerospace-related businesses are located in Snohomish County. Light rail is a long-term investment in economic growth and the quality of life for communities across the Puget Sound region.
Completing the spine will help relieve congestion, support transit-oriented housing and job growth, reduce transportation costs for working families and build a cleaner, greener and more accessible transportation network. As the region continues to grow, light rail provides a reliable alternative to increasingly congested transportation corridors and helps connect communities that are underserved by high-capacity transit. Everett has the largest population of any city north of Seattle and is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades. The Puget Sound Regional Council designated Everett as one of five Metropolitan Cities, which together are expected to comprise 36% of the region’s population growth and 44% of its employment growth by 2050.
Bringing light rail to Everett Station will expand transit access for many communities throughout Snohomish County. Everett Station is a major transportation hub, serving more than 20 bus routes as well as regional transportation services. The 2024 opening of Lynnwood Link demonstrated the strong demand for light rail in Snohomish County. The Everett Link extension will build on that success and serve multiple Opportunity Zones along SR 526 and Broadway in Everett, where communities will benefit significantly from expanded light rail service.
Connecting Everett and Tacoma to the light rail network though completion of the spine is critical to the economic success of the region, equitable transit access and the future of a truly connected regional transportation system.
Sincerely,
Rick Larsen
U.S. Representative
Washington State, Second District
