West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions

Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary

March 12, 2019

Overview
On March 12, 2019, Sound Transit held a Delridge Station Community Workshop at the Youngstown
Cultural Arts Center during Level 3 of the alternatives development phase of the West Seattle and
Ballard Link Extensions project. The purpose of the community workshop was to learn more about the
community’s vision for the Delridge neighborhood and to share and solicit feedback on the Level 3
alternatives in Delridge. This was one of many outreach tactics in the neighborhood throughout
alternatives development.

The Delridge community workshop provided an opportunity for 94 participants to learn about the Level
3 end-to-end alternatives, discuss Delridge station area opportunities and challenges, develop a better
understanding of how the expansion of light rail can support community visioning and address
community concerns about light rail’s impact on the neighborhood. Feedback collected at the workshop
will be shared with the Stakeholder Advisory Group and Elected Leadership Group before they make
their Level 3 recommendations and with the Sound Transit Board before they identify the preferred
alternative(s) and other alternatives to study in an environmental impact statement.

Process
The workshop began with an open house which gave attendees an opportunity to learn about the West
Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions project. Throughout the evening, attendees also had the opportunity
to provide verbal (via a court reporter), written (via comment forms) and online (via an online open
house) comments for the project’s formal scoping period.
The workshop began with a presentation covering system expansion, West Seattle and Ballard
extensions and timelines, scoping, Level 1 and Level 2 alternatives, Level 3 Delridge station options and
evaluation results, and an overview of station planning. Following the presentation, attendees
participated in small breakout groups with 10 to 12 of their neighbors. Facilitators guided the small
group discussions which focused on the following topics and questions:
 Community vision and neighborhood values, including where participants spend their time,
what they consider the important places, and how they envision the neighborhood and station
area for future generations
 Level 3 alternatives and station locations, including what participants like/dislike about the
station options and what opportunities and challenges they see
 Refinements to Level 3 alternatives and station locations, including what might be missing from
the current alternatives
Facilitators and note-takers used flip charts and/or meeting guides to record the group conversations.
Visuals were available on the tables, including large maps of the proposed Delridge station areas and
handouts on the Level 3 evaluation results.
Notifications
Notification type
Flyer distributed to businesses on Delridge Way Email updates to Delridge community members,
SW between SW Genesee St and Dumar Way social service providers, community
SW organizations and businesses
Poster distributed along the Delridge corridor, Briefings with Delridge community organizations
from north Delridge to White Center
Door to door outreach to Delridge businesses Website updates
and organizations between SW Genesee St and
the West Seattle Bridge

Outcomes
What we heard:
Feedback during the workshop was gathered through small group discussions between staff and
workshop participants. Below is a summary of key themes of public feedback organized by the three
focus areas of the workshop:
 Community Vision & neighborhood values
 Level 3 alternatives and station locations
 Refinements to Level 3 alternatives and station locations

The notes taken during the small breakout group discussions are transcribed below.

COMMUNITY VISION & NEIGHBORHOOD VALUES

Workshop participants value the Delridge and Pigeon Point neighborhoods for the diversity of the
neighborhood (including age, income and housing types), the strong sense of community and the “small
town” feel where neighbors look out for one another. Participants feel the area is affordable today,
especially given the proximity to downtown Seattle and amenities in West Seattle. They are concerned
about having to move away from the neighborhood if their property needs to be acquired, and the
changing character of the neighborhood with increased development around the light rail station.

Participants enjoy the neighborhood’s parks, greenspaces, diverse topography, birds, Longfellow Creek
and views.

Participants value the existing transit service but recognize that light rail is needed. They appreciate the
multimodal nature of the community, with nearby bike trails and walkable neighborhood streets.
Participants noted a priority for the light rail station to improve integration of all modes and maintain
walkability. There was some discussion about the need for increased transit in Pigeon Point, perhaps
with a circulator bus.

Participants like visiting the neighborhood’s small businesses. Some noted a preference for smaller retail
spaces as part of future development, with a need for more restaurants and family-friendly amenities.

LEVEL 3 ALTERNATIVES AND STATION LOCATIONS

Workshop participants expressed concern about the height, visual aesthetics and size of the future
station with a preference for lower and smaller structures to better fit with the scale of the
neighborhood. There was some discussion about visual effects with the elevated guideway along Pigeon
Point and concern about the stability of the steep slopes in the area.

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 2

Many participants were concerned about being displaced from the neighborhood because of the station
locations. Some also had concerns about construction and operational impacts with a light rail station
and guideway in the neighborhood. Many people expressed interest in minimizing residential and
business acquisition, and better integrating the station into the existing neighborhood to encourage
more organic future development.

The following feedback was specific to the Level 3 alternatives:

ST3 Representative Alignment (red)
 Concern about congested area near SW Andover Street and questions about
bus/pedestrian/bicyclist safety and connectivity
 Interest in a station location close to the existing bike path near the West Seattle Bridge
 Concern that this station location is too far from the neighborhood center
 Concern about business impacts

West Seattle Elevated (orange)

 Some preference for a station location south of SW Andover Street to avoid traffic and
congestion closer to the West Seattle Bridge
 Interest in blending the station into the hillside to minimize visual impact with potential
pedestrian connections farther up Pigeon Point

West Seattle Tunnel (blue)

 Considerable concern about neighborhood impacts and residential displacement
 Concern about bus integration and the benefits of this location in serving the area

REFINEMENTS TO LEVEL 3 ALTERNATIVES AND STATION LOCATIONS

Most participants expressed interest in minimizing impacts to the Delridge neighborhood. Participants
felt the blue line was less desirable because of the need for property acquisition. Participants also
discussed having limited interest in larger redevelopment in the neighborhood that may come with the
blue line. Many people expressed interest in pursuing alternatives through a portion of the golf course
to minimize residential displacement. Some participants were interested in refinements to the orange
and red station locations farther east to minimize neighborhood impacts. There was some feedback on
the Duwamish crossing, namely that participants were interested in the north crossing to minimize
visual effects, property acquisition and constructability concerns on Pigeon Point.

Many participants noted support for studying the purple alternative (Pigeon Ridge West Seattle Tunnel)
from Level 2 as it would minimize the amount of property acquisitions, has good bus connectivity, would
minimize visual impacts, and serves the central part of the neighborhood.

Some participants noted a preference for alignments that would use existing street right of way along
Andover/Yancy/Avalon to minimize displacement, avoid greenspace impacts and be closer to the
existing park and ride. Some participants noted a preference for a station location near the Nucor steel
plant and nearby commercial area to minimize residential impacts and revitalize this northern part of
neighborhood, and felt this location would still be convenient to the residential communities to the
south.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS FEEDBACK

Feedback from group discussions was recorded on note-taker sheets and flip charts and is transcribed
below.

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 3

COMMUNITY VISION and Neighborhood Values

 Table 1:
o Appreciate multigenerational community
o Quiet, historic, charming neighborhood
o Needs more transit

 Table 2:
o Diverse neighborhood (income and ethnicity)
o Zoning promotes diversity but still affordable
o Cohesive neighborhood, people look out for each other
o Proximity to city for easy commute
o Close and convenient bus options; three main bus lines are accessible from Delridge
Way SW
o Nearby parks and community centers
o Walkable neighborhood
o Neighborhood has market-driven transit-supportive development vs. official transit-
oriented development (TOD)

 Table 3:
o Small town feel yet close to energetic city
o Green spaces
o Future generations want to live in a livable city
o Good transportation, amenities and parks
o Knowing your neighbors (care and looking after one another)
o Safety
o Concern about traffic impacts and changing dynamic of the neighborhood
o Affordable housing close to Downtown
o Diverse neighborhood
o History preservation (old homes)
o Young families
o Village/urban centers
o Commercial spaces
o Integration of different transportation modes (bike, walk, drive)
o Desire walkable neighborhood
o Desire more grocery stores
o Desire east/west connections
o Desire to mitigate congestion during peak traffic hours

 Table 4):
o Link connection to downtown would be great to use in the future
o A new connector bus down the hill would be helpful
o West Seattle is a subtle and cozy neighborhood
o This is a generational conversation
o Want a station that doesn’t stunt future growth

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 4

 Love about neighborhood right now
o Easy access to downtown (driving, bus, walking)
o Bus stop at the bottom of the hill
o Bike trail
o The view is fabulous – can see to downtown and all the way to Alki
o Corner store, deli mart, coffee shop, brewery and Chelan Café
o We are on the fire department’s power lines so our power never goes out
o West Seattle doesn’t consider Pigeon Point part of West Seattle but it has easy access to
the other parts of West Seattle and downtown
o Alki Beach
o Grocery store, Home Depot
o Police precinct nearby so there is good safety coverage
o It’s a quiet, dead-end street which we like
o Quiet and calm
o Love the back yard, green slope to the bridge
o Parks and open space

What’s missing?
o Light rail
o The bus that used to run down Andover and Charleston and down the center of the
ridge – bus connections up and down the hill
o Being able to walk to the grocery store or at least not drive past home to get to one
o Light rail brings development, which is great, unless we lose our homes and we won’t be
here anymore to experience it

What should the station do/be?

o Safe and inviting
o Look fun – not just a concrete/utilitarian structure
o Match the scale of the neighborhood – Tukwila feels imposing

What should the area around the station be like?

o It’s already pretty nice
o Good to have park access
o Not a value to make it more of a destination, this is a place for the people who live here
and a connection point for everyone else

Access to the station in the future?

o It should be to scale, not super high up
o It’s hard to access with no parking
o A metro shuttle/connector down the hill would be great (from Pigeon Point)

 Table 5:
o Walkable
o Enjoy the Farmers Market
o Proximity to the city is good while still feeling like you live in a suburban community

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 5

 o Good transit options
o Diverse topography allowing wonderful views
o Great school districts
o Diverse community
o Lots of great open green space and parks
o Enjoys the mixed single family and mid to low-rise zoning
o Feel there are plenty of grocery stores within walking distance
o Traffic into downtown is a problem
What’s missing in current neighborhood?
o Family-oriented amenities
o Smaller sized retail space isn’t proximal, would like more mixed-use development (avoid
single use block stores)
o Recreation center/park space at station

 Table 6:
o Likes the history, the residents that are here, likes the strong sense of community, trusts
the people that live nearby, enjoys the parks, the community center, close to the bus to
go to work
o The strong sense of community, parks, trails, easy bike ride to schools and Alki, and likes
how close Delridge is to downtown and White Center
o Likes the neighbors and the strong sense of community, likes the BBQs and community
gatherings
o The small, quaint feel of the neighborhood, worried about that changing with
redevelopment
o The eclectic character of the neighborhood with homes of different ages and types,
parks, proximity to downtown White Center and the Junction, and the access to Chelan
Café
o There could be more restaurants in the neighborhood but didn’t see a need for a
grocery store
o Likes the historical feeling of the neighborhood, the quiet feeling, low traffic, ease of
access
o Likes the quiet, health club nearby, and ease to get downtown
o All mentioned they could walk to Pigeon Point for views, Skylark Café, Ounces, a Music
School, Luna Park Café and a health club and they really liked that about their
neighborhood

 Table 7:
o Being close enough to downtown (45 min)
o Biking (Delridge Bike Trail)
o View
o Affordable houses
o Quiet/peaceful
o Enjoys neighbors, birds, greenspace and nature
o Local business
o Longfellow Creek
o 22nd Ave Park built by community

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 6

 o Limited access to Pigeon Point (two access points only)
o Future/transit
o Very excited for station, commercial area that supports small business
o Concern about viaduct hanging over neighborhoods/homes
o Mostly concerned with displacement
o Need for transit now

LEVEL 3 ALTERNATIVES AND STATION LOCATIONS

 Table 1:
o All alignments will be disruptive to single family homes
o Will use the light rail but stations will be in our sightlines and cause noise issues
o Questions about the area needed around the guideway station for
construction/operations
o The blue line takes out many affordable homes
o The neighborhood by the park would be horrible to lose, the line should be moved to
north end of Delridge because the impacts are less
o We are concerned about the noise and vibration, we are in a dell/valley
o Questions about how Sound Transit can guarantee affordable housing if Sound Transit
doesn’t build housing
o Questions about what happens next to build affordable housing? We don’t want what
happened to Mt. Baker.
o The blue line feels like a dis to the Delridge community
o We would need to up-zone our properties with the 150’ elevated train
o Concerns about height of the elevated train, zoning and aesthetics

 Table 2:
o Concern about effects of alternatives on recent development (newly-built houses that
will likely have to be torn down for various alternatives)
o Note about challenging traffic on Delridge Way with fast traffic, not as safe for
pedestrians and bicyclists
o Consider locating station south of Andover to avoid safety issues associated with trucks
at Nucor and proximity to freeway ramps
o Concern about negative visual and community character effects from height of elevated
line and station
o Consider locating station closer to Delridge Playfield, specifically along the north side of
the playfield
o Consider old monorail alignment along Andover and Avalon Way
o Requests to minimize effects to residential properties
o Requests for station to be closer to bike path farther north
o Concerns about effects to neighborhood businesses
o Suggestions to locate station closer to current bus service connections
o Concern about width of footprint being up to 60 feet
o Concern about effects of columns in neighborhoods
o Concern about noise from line once in-service
o Questions and concerns about what will happen with surplus properties after
construction

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 7

  Table 3:
o Questions about the future bridge crossing the Duwamish (location, structure type,
bridge height)
o Question about the accessibility of the Delridge station (stairs, elevators, escalators)
o Question about the benefit of a tunnel
o Question about the financial differences of displacing businesses versus residents
depending on where the alignment goes
o Question about if there are case studies or other examples the public can view for
elevated alignments and stations in neighborhoods
o Question about the individual mitigation projects associated with the project
o Question about whether both Delridge and Avalon stations are necessary
o Question about how the proposed elevated Delridge station compares to other existing
stations
o Question about why the Pigeon Ridge/West Seattle Tunnel Alternative (purple line) was
not carried forward to Level 3
o Concern about stability of elevated structure during an earthquake
o Question about why the Alaska Junction station is not located further south to serve
that community
o Comment on how other neighborhoods with Link light rail have a tunnel station, so why
not West Seattle
o Comment to build the tunnel further south of the proposed alignment to avoid
neighborhood impacts
o Comment that a light rail train is being built to serve a neighborhood that is going to
displace the people that live in said neighborhood
o Comment that 26th Avenue SW is a park-and-ride today
o Comment that a lower-grade elevated station would impact the community feel
o Concern about traffic and visual impacts

 Table 4:
o North station is not a good option, too far from the rest of the neighborhood – hard to
access
o Concern about view impacts and how much the line will cut into the hill
o Concern about imposing feeling, super high station
o The northern station option is higher, which we don’t like and feels divorced from the
neighborhood
o Low guideway is good!
o Tunnel in the Junction – it would change the cozy vibes with elevated guideway
o Biggest benefit to a low Delridge station is what happens in the Junction – anything
elevated in the Junction is not preferred – want a Beacon Hill-like station in the Junction

ST3 representative alignment

o Mixes with Nucor traffic / hard to access
o Tight area
o Too high
o Lots of bike traffic

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 8

 West Seattle Tunnel (blue alternative)
o Does this affect more affordable housing in the area?
o 30 feet is better – lower is better
o Station height is a priority
o Less intrusive
o Width is still a concern
o Don’t want to lose affordable housing
o ST development changes what “affordable” is
o Purpose of station location seems favorable – drop off points and other opportunities
o Better out of congestion
o Could be more of a hub

West Seattle Elevated (orange alternative)

o Would be better lower
o Further south from traffic congestion is better
o Orange is not far enough away from traffic congestion

Alaska Junction alternatives

o Tunnel station to preserve character
o 100-year decision
o Closer is better (ex: Beacon Hill)
o Not a giant structure
o Elevated – not really a good spot, it feels more like picking what is the least bad, maybe
Fauntleroy would be the least bad, would rather walk a couple of blocks
o Demolishing a bunch of surface instead of underground isn’t ideal – could have more
interesting things built above

 Table 5:
ST3 Representative Alignment Station (red):
o Red and orange have better bike connection to existing lines
o Could be an opportunity to provide a solution to the on-ramp to the West Seattle Bridge
o Red station doesn’t serve the people in Delridge as well
o Bus/traffic issues will be exacerbated getting onto the bridge
o There isn’t great redevelopment opportunity here as compared to orange

West Seattle Elevated (orange station)

o Station location allows for more organic redevelopment
o Reasonable walking distance to shops and parks
o Orange walkshed is larger than red
o The Pigeon Ridge stairwell could connect into the station to provide access from above
and connect into that hillside
o Redevelopment is already happening naturally, don’t force it with the blue line

West Seattle Tunnel (blue alternative)

o Blue is farther from serving Delridge
o Off from street grid, could be more hidden and less utilized if not readily visible
o Transit integration, could be better depending on the station plan

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 9

  Table 6:
o Concerns about being relocated with all of the alternatives. Questions about how many
similar properties are available now in the same neighborhood. Does not want to lose
her home and does not want change.
o Concerns about relocation with all of the alternatives and changing school districts for
kids. Concern with finding another home in the same price range.
o Concern about impacts to his neighborhood
o Feels that they already have affordable housing in this neighborhood and is worried
about people being displaced
o Concern about the blue alignment. Excited about what redevelopment will do in the
neighborhood but is interested in how the alternatives can enhance the neighborhood
with the fewest residential displacements.
o Concern in having enough parking at the station. Parking is already a concern in the
neighborhood and will become more of a concern as the project is developed. Concern
about construction footprint and property takes.
o Red line is good for budget but would be bad for business displacements, Nucor access,
and for traffic getting onto the bridge
o There was a feeling that the blue line would affect housing that was already affordable

 Table 7:
o Alignment on Genesee, why impact neighborhood when Golf Course can be used.
o When 4f mentioned, expressed that they heard that Section 4f isn’t important because
you can just trade [replace park space in other locations]
o If 4f is an issue for Golf Course (green space), why isn’t it an issue for the alignment on
Pigeon Point slope which is a green space too?
o Cut and cover through golf course; construction and permanent
o Questions about soils/sliding impacts of the slope
o Questions about height of the guideway along Pigeon Point slope and blocking the view
o Interest in number and specifics around residential property displacements Perception
problem - wealthy/dense neighborhoods get tunnel, affordable/less dense areas don’t
get tunnel

REFINEMENTS TO LEVEL 3 ALTERNATIVES AND STATION LOCATIONS

 Table 1:
o Line that goes south on public land and deals with the Section 4F impacts, then build
into the green space and build affordable housing and parks elsewhere in the
neighborhood
o Put the line into the golf course land then tunnel to the Junction
o I am interested in the golf course option and the purple line
o We deserve to know the actual cost of the red line
o I am concerned about the slide zones
o I attended the design charrette and experts stated that the red line should be a no-go,
but yet it is being displayed as a good/positive option - not great bus access (red line)
o I am concerned about bus connection challenges
o I am interested in using the existing public land

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 10

 o Delridge line will wipe out multi-family homes that are being newly developed and will
harm people that buy the new developments without knowing
o We desire to look at options that stay on arterials
o What if the line was elevated through the steel mill?
o We like options that serve a community station
o Why was the alternative that used SW Avalon Way near the bus facility and the bridge
cut out at Level 1? It is close to the greenway and now has a new pedestrian path.

 Table 2:
o Suggestions to modify route near/through golf course
o General preference from most people at table for “purple” line and station due to
perceived fewer property effects and perceived better connections to bus service
o If no purple line, then general preference to move station and alignment to the north to
avoid property impacts.
o Consider route of previous monorail study using Andover St and Avalon Way rather than
cutting through Delridge neighborhood. Resident handed out maps of monorail
alignments and stations.
o Requests to use tunnel alignment through Delridge to minimize property and visual
effects
o Concern that some Delridge residents did not hear about project until after the “purple”
alternative had been taken off the table

 Table 3:
o Support for the (pink line) from Level 1 because it is less residential, it would avoid
displacement in Delridge and minimize negative impacts to green space
o Support for the pink line (i.e. along Yancy Street) from Level 1 because it would bring
more value to an area of West Seattle that is more industrial in nature and run-down. A
new light rail station would improve that area and bring more opportunities.
o Interest in analyzing other options that don’t impact Delridge

 Table 4:
o Will the stations go on the west or east side of Delridge?
o Everyone wants the purple option

Pigeon Ridge/West Seattle Tunnel (purple alternative)

o Station built into the side of the hill is concerning
o This is a long term, 100-year project
o Most central – serves more people south
o Less congestion
o Less obtrusive

 Table 5:
o Why not a tunnel in Delridge?
o Some people preferred the north crossing, didn’t care that it impacts the Port; others
liked the south crossing because it would blend into the existing West Seattle Bridge
o A train above the skate park would be cool
o Support for using the golf course

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 11

  Table 6:
o Feels like individual opinion doesn’t matter because all three alternatives affect homes;
doesn’t want to lose home
o Doesn’t like any of the remaining alternatives because afraid she will lose her home;
shows support for the purple alternative
o All people at the table generally liked the purple line and wanted to know why it was no
longer being considered. There was a feeling that the purple alternative would save the
neighborhood. It had less acquisitions, visual impacts, and was more in scale with the
neighborhood.
o Suggestion for a station out of the neighborhood at the end of the West Seattle Bridge
near Avalon
o There was a debate at the table about redevelopment and if it was OK to take their
homes to build a neighborhood for the future
o Can the red and yellow lines be pushed to the east so that they don’t affect the homes
and the neighborhood?
o In favor of the north crossing since it would have less impacts at Pigeon Point. Prefer
that the blue line connected to the red line in Delridge to minimize neighborhood
impacts.
o Can the station be put onto the Nucor property so that there are less residential impacts
even if we need to reconfigure access to the plant? This station site would be difficult
for bus transfers.
o Mention that the DSHS and Kidney Center Building in Delridge won an AIA honor award
for the state of Washington and that maybe the neighbors could have the building listed
as historic to stop the blue line from progressing
o There were questions about the valuation of homes

 Table 7:
o Representative alignment station considered the worst
o Blue alignment displaces houses/businesses
o SW Genesee Street – horrible shadow of rail 60-150 ft elevation
o Prefer lower profile
o Walk/bike zone- where would grocery store go?
 Not interested in grocery store near Longfellow Creek, not wanting commercial
development
o Crime rate increase because of light rail
 Participant felt that Rapid Ride C brought more crime
o Very strong preference to not build blue station
o Question about how far from the elevated structure is acquired by Sound Transit

March 2019 Delridge Station Community Workshop Summary 12