Trumps budget could affect Sound Transit light-rail expansion

EVERETT — Hopes for light rail are riding on billions in federal grants to make it to Lynnwood and eventually to Everett.

For big public works projects like the Sound Transit expansion, President Donald Trump’s administration offers tantalizing possibilities — and great uncertainty. On one hand, there’s a promise of a trillion dollars in federal infrastructure investment nationwide. On the other, there’s the inescapable fact that Link light rail is a mass transit project serving a region where voters were as politically unfriendly to Trump as any place in the country.

As with so much else these days, no one’s quite sure what will happen. Some answers are likely to arrive with the president’s budget, expected around the same time as his State of the Union speech at the end of the month.

“It’s still a bit of a wait-and-see. But by the same token, there is so much work that has already been done on these Sound Transit issues,” Rep. Rick Larsen said. “I don’t know why any of the Sound Transit money would be in jeopardy. It’s baked into the budget.”

The issue isn’t only of geographical interest to the Everett Democrat from the 2nd Congressional District; it’s also topical, given his spot on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

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