The two light rail stations planned closest to Magnolia, at Smith Cove and in Interbay, are part of Sound Transit's Ballard Link Extension. Where those stations go, and how neighbors will reach them on foot, by bike, by bus, or across our bridges, will shape how Magnolia connects to the rest of the region for decades. This winter, Magnolia neighbors will have an important opportunity to weigh in.
A New Draft Environmental Impact Statement on December 11
On December 11, 2026, Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration will publish a new Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the Ballard Link Extension. The Draft EIS will evaluate route and station alternatives for the full line, from SODO to Ballard, including the potential benefits and impacts of each alternative and proposed ways to reduce those impacts.
According to Sound Transit, the new Draft EIS builds on the combined West Seattle and Ballard Draft EIS published in 2022, and it also studies refinements and new alternatives the Sound Transit Board identified in 2023.
How to Share Your Input
The public comment period runs from December 11, 2026, through February 9, 2027. According to Sound Transit, you will be able to comment:
Online through the project website
By email, mail, or phone
At a virtual or in person public hearing
Sound Transit says the feedback it receives will help the project team and the Sound Transit Board understand community priorities for route and station locations, and will inform the Board's decision on whether to modify or confirm its preferred alternative. A preferred alternative is not a final decision. The Board selects the project to be built after the Final EIS.
What This Means for Magnolia
The Smith Cove and Interbay stations are the closest planned stations to our neighborhood. As you review the Draft EIS, you may want to consider questions like these:
How easy would it be to walk, bike, or take the bus from Magnolia to each station option?
How would each option affect traffic and access on the routes we rely on, including the Magnolia Bridge and the W Dravus St Bridge?
What would construction mean for the areas around Interbay and Smith Cove?
SDOT's W Dravus St Bridge Planning Study notes that it will help coordinate future bridge improvements with other major transportation projects, so the decisions made on both projects over the next few years are connected.
Timeline and Funding
According to Sound Transit, service from SODO to Seattle Center is scheduled to open in 2042. The section from Seattle Center to Ballard, which includes the Smith Cove and Interbay stations, is currently unfunded. Sound Transit says that section could move forward if it can further reduce project costs, increase its financial capacity, and secure the remaining construction funding. The Draft EIS still studies the full route to Ballard.
Stay Informed
Sign up for Sound Transit's Ballard Link Extension email updates
Visit the project's online open house
Learn more on Sound Transit's project page
Questions for the project team: ballardlink@soundtransit.org or (206) 903-7223
MCC will continue to follow the Ballard Link Extension and share updates with Magnolia neighbors as the comment period approaches.
