Seattle’s ambitious light rail network is taking another big step forward — with Dallas-based Jacobs chosen to deliver design services for the $6.7 billion to $7.1 billion West Seattle Link Extension.
Sound Transit announced the award on July 17, confirming that Jacobs will handle Phase 1 design and design validation for the project. The extension will stretch Seattle’s light rail network by 4.1 miles, adding a new bridge, a tunnel, and four new stations to better connect the city’s SODO neighborhood with the Alaska Junction area of West Seattle.
In a statement, Jacobs Executive Vice President Ron Williams said, “Jacobs has delivered some of Puget Sound’s most critical transportation solutions for 70 years, including approximately 30 miles of light rail system expansions for Sound Transit.”
Those past projects include the Northgate Link Extension and the I-90 segment of the Eastlink project, both of which expanded fast, reliable transit options for thousands of daily commuters.
The West Seattle Link Extension is a critical piece of Sound Transit’s larger expansion plan to give riders more travel options while supporting growth. Planners expect the project to spark transit-oriented development near new stations, bringing new affordable housing, retail, and other amenities to fast-growing neighborhoods.
Planning for the line began in 2017. In October 2024, the Sound Transit Board finalized the preferred route and station locations, and this April, the Federal Transit Administration gave the green light to enter final design.
Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with new trains rolling by 2032, providing commuters with a faster, more reliable link between the urban core and key West Seattle communities that have long relied heavily on cars or buses.
For Jacobs, the new contract continues a long partnership with the region. The firm’s Seattle-area work has included signature bridges, tunnels, and extensions that have expanded the reach of the light rail system by miles over the past two decades.
As demand for sustainable transportation rises, cities like Seattle are betting on rail to reduce congestion and cut carbon emissions. The West Seattle Link Extension is just one piece of Sound Transit’s broader ST3 plan, one of the largest voter-approved transit packages in the U.S.
With this next link moving ahead, thousands of West Seattle residents could soon trade long bus rides for faster trains — and a rail line that fuels new homes and businesses along the way.
Originally reported by Julie Strupp in Construction Dive.
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