Charged with adding over 8,500 stalls, Sound Transit is facing rampant costs that call its park and ride strategy into question.
Park and ride can be convenient, but at what point does the investment become simply too costly? The Seattle region faces that question as it constructs new parking garages to fulfill its Sound Transit 3 plan. Mike Lindblom writes, "The voter-approved Sound Transit 3 plan, featuring eight light-rail extensions, bus-rapid transit and more Sounder service, calls for 8,560 more parking stalls across three counties."
Costs for a garage in Kent have soared, due in part to steep land prices and a contractor-friendly market. Says Lindblom, "The new figures average out to $118,000 a space, though the project includes $3 million for improvements unrelated to parking, such as passenger drop-off areas, new bus shelters, walk and bike paths, and illumination."
FULL STORY: $100,000 per parking space? Costs soar for Sound Transit’s Kent park-and-ride garage
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