February News: The Joy of Transit

Seahawks fans wait for a train at Othello Station.

Dear friends,

Yesterday, when Washingtonians converged on Downtown Seattle for the Seahawks victory parade, the directive was clear: take transit. And we did. Hundreds of thousand of fans arrived via light rail, Sounder trains, buses, and ferries. Local transit agencies stepped up with extra service and personnel. People crammed in like sardines, but the mood stayed high.

It was an extraordinary day, and also a sign of things to come: this Saturday, light rail will start running every 4 to 5 minutes between Lynnwood and the International District, as Sound Transit begins simulated service for the Crosslake Connection opening on March 28th. Very soon, the Puget Sound region will be connected like never before.

All Washingtonians deserve fast frequent, and abundant transit to get where they need to go. Together, we can keep it coming.

Keep moving,

– Transportation Choices Coalition

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO

Advocating in the 2026 Legislative Session

TCC’s Advocacy Manager, Holden Minor Ringer, testifies on a Commute Trip Reduction bill.

The Washington State Legislative Session is in full swing, and we’ve been hard at work advocating for our 2026 legislative priorities:

We rallied people to send more than 2,200 letters to support a bill that could help Sound Transit deliver light rail projects as quickly as possible. Just yesterday, this bill passed the Senate! Learn more about it.
Our bill to align regional transportation planning with a low-carbon future is currently on the floor of the House. Learn more about it.
We’re working on ways to advance a statewide Megaproject for Safety that could transform Washington’s most dangerous corridors. Learn more.

We’ve also voiced our support for a handful of other bills, including:

A bill to expand Washington’s commute trip reduction law to serve more low-income and shift workers, which passed out of the House Transportation Committee with unanimous support
A bill to create a grant program to provide free transit for students at community and technical colleges

Over the next month, we’ll see each chamber’s proposed supplemental transportation budget. We’ll be looking to ensure that transit and active transportation retain their funding, as well as advocating for additional investments in Washington’s intercity bus network.

Check out our Bill Tracker for more of what we’re watching this session, and watch for our weekly Dispatch from Olympia emails each Monday for ways to take action.

Sharing a New Report on Transit-Oriented Development and Public Health

TCC’s Policy Analyst, Nivya Murthi, worked with students from the University of Washington’s Master of Public Health program to explore how public health intersects with transit-oriented development.

Their report highlights a critical gap: current transit-oriented development policies largely emphasize housing production, while public health and traffic safety outcomes are not consistently or explicitly integrated. Focusing on corridors such as Rainier Avenue South in Seattle and Division Street in Spokane, their analysis illustrates how transit-oriented development, when intentionally paired with Complete Streets, traffic safety, and equity-focused tools, has the potential to reduce preventable injuries, improve environmental conditions, and expand safe access to daily needs.

Read more about this collaboration and check out the students’ full report here.

WHAT’S COMING UP

The Crosslake Connection Opens March 28th!

Kelli Refer from Move Redmond, King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, and TCC’s Executive Director Kirk Hovenkotter pose at the opening day announcement.

Are you as excited as we are? The long-awaited Crosslake Connection is almost here!

On Saturday, March 28th, you’ll be able to ride light rail across the I-90 floating bridge connecting Seattle and the Eastside.

For TCC, this is a proud moment. This opening will mark the completion of Sound Transit 2, which funded the extension of light rail north to Lynnwood, South to Federal Way, and east to Bellevue and Redmond. In 2008, we led the successful ballot measure campaign for Sound Transit 2 across three counties — all before a single train had started running. We’re thrilled to see the vision of the Mass Transit Now campaign become a reality.

Mark your calendars for March 28th, and keep an eye our for more details on opening day celebrations. You won’t want to miss it!

Join Us for a Rural Advocacy 101 Workshop

Join Transportation Choices Coalition, Hopelink, and the Snoqualmie Valley Mobility Coalition for a Snoqualmie Valley Rural Transportation Advocacy 101 Workshop!

Date: March 14th
Time: 10 AM – 2 PM
Location: North Bend City Hall
Address: 920 SE Cedar Falls Way, North Bend, WA 98045

Every piece of our streets, trails, and transit takes advocacy. Whether it’s a crosswalk, sidewalk, or bus stop, someone asked for it to be there. This workshop is designed for people who live or work in the Snoqualmie Valley or have a direct connection to this region. Come learn about rural transportation advocacy and practice skills to help support your community’s access to safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation.

You will hear from a dynamic panel of local and regional leaders working across transportation, public policy, and community advocacy. Then, we’ll learn about different advocacy skills like how to give effective testimony and practice together.

Save the Dates for Sound Transit Town Halls

To complement our “Build the Damn Trains!” campaign, we’ve been hard at work organizing a series of town halls with Sound Transit board members across the region. These events will be an opportunity to learn more about Sound Transit’s Enterprise Initiative and ask questions about cost-saving approaches that could impact Sound Transit 3 projects.

Keep an eye out for invites with registration coming soon, but for now, save these dates:

Ballard Sound Transit Town Hall
When: Friday, March 12th, 6 – 7:30 PM
Where: Location TBD
Hosted by TCC with Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss

Eastside Sound Transit Town Hall
When: Monday, March 30th, 6 – 7:30 PM
Where: Bellevue City Hall
Co-hosted by Move Redmond with King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci and Redmond Mayor Angela Birney

Everett Sound Transit Town Hall
When: Tuesday, April 14th, from 6 – 7:30 PM
Where: Weyerhauser Room at Everett Station
Co-hosted by SnoTrac with Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin

Tacoma Sound Transit Town Hall
When: Monday, April 27th, from 6:30 – 8 PM
Where: UW Tacoma
Co-hosted by Tacoma On the Go with Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello and Tacoma City Councilmember Kristina Walker

GET INVOLVED

Apply for Walking College with America Walks

This is an online educational program geared toward early-to-middle-stage community champions eager to work toward expanding access to walkable, vibrant, safe places. Fellows hone in on a problem in their community they wish to address, develop the knowledge and skills they need to help bring about positive change, with feedback from mentors and peers create a plan for getting the work done, and in the process become some of America Walks’ most valuable grassroots partners.

Learn more and apply by February 16th.

STAFF PICK

Red Paint Is Coming to Denny Way!

A rider and an operator shake hands at Fix the L8’s “Race the L8” event last year.

On my commute from Rainier Valley into Downtown Seattle, I’m fortunate to be whisked along on dedicated bus-only lanes that save me minutes each day. But I’m well acquainted with Seattle’s notorious Route 8, one of the city’s highest ridership — and most delayed — buses. So I was excited to learn that one of Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s first executive orders authorized new bus-only lanes on Denny Way.

Kudos to the advocates at Fix the L8 whose creative campaign helped achieve this win. Maybe we’ll finally be able to retire the nickname, “the L8.”

Natalie Lubsen
Associate Communications Director

WHAT WE’RE READING

Seattle just built the world’s first light rail on a floating bridge – Fast Company

“Tens of thousands of people are expected to ride the train daily, eliminating an estimated 230,000 vehicle miles traveled per day.”

Sound Transit Greenlights Overnight Express Bus to Sea-Tac Airport – The Urbanist

“The express bus will provide riders who aren’t able to connect with 1 Line light rail with the option to get to the center city and make additional connections via King County Metro’s Night Owl bus network.”

Seattle’s Public Transit Is Finally Getting “Tap To Pay” Feature—No ORCA Card Required – Secret Seattle

“In a new upgrade that will be a boon to visitors (especially ahead of the World Cup), Seattle transit users will now be able to tap their phone or credit card to pay for a ride.”

2026 Levy Plan Sets Stage for a New Mayor’s Transportation Priorities – The Urbanist

“The biggest opportunities for an ambitious administration looking to maximize transportation dollars are the relatively small number of major corridor projects.”

What’s coming in Spokane’s bike and active transportation infrastructure in 2026 – Range

“A connection between Fish Lake Trail and the Centennial Trail, greenways and more.”

World-Class American Transit – Transportation for America

“Transit needs a moonshot—an ambitious vision for world-class transit across the country that matches the scale of the nearly 50,000-mile Interstate Highway System.”

Transit Project Openings in 2026: A Global Review – The Transport Politic

“In 2025, more than 1,000 kilometers of new urban rail lines—metros, light rail, and tramway systems—opened for service, and the same will be true in 2026. Regional rail, bus rapid transit, and aerial tram lines are also planned for opening.”