Sound Transit's $150B Problem | Charles Prestrud

Washington Policy On The Go is WPC's bi-weekly (weekly during the legislative session) virtual lunchtime event series featuring center directors and guests to inform you on the latest in Washington State policy research and analysis. In this video, we'll hear from Charles Prestrud, WPC's Center for Transportation Director, on the cost overruns plaguing transportation across Washington state.

00:00 - Introduction
00:31 - Ferries: “sea of red ink” setup
01:17 - Costs up, ridership down; farebox 75% → 50% ($100M gap)
02:08 - Commission fare hikes, surcharges, card fee
03:31 - Commuters hit; fast ferries and WFH erode pricing power
06:46 - Hybrid-electric vs diesel: rising power rates, labor is 80%
10:06 - Pivot back to diesel? Hybrid capital math looks worse
12:34 - Sound Transit pivot: $150B plan, ~$1,700 per household
14:16 - West Seattle/Ballard overruns; few new riders vs RapidRide
16:17 - Rail shutdown example; buses are flexible
20:31 - Bus Rapid Transit as better alternative; “enterprise initiative”
24:33 - Regionwide cost inflation and the coming reckoning

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