Amazon officials breathed a sigh of relief after the Sound Transit Board decided to keep its options open for the location of a new light-rail station near the company’s headquarters.
The board voted on Thursday to move forward with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposal to shift the station north, while also studying the possibility of moving it west. In a blog post Wednesday, Amazon urged Sound Transit board members to consider the “shifted west” option so that Westlake Avenue can remain open during construction.
“We encourage the Board to not rush their decision and at least be willing to consider and study alternative options so we can ensure the expansion of public transit in the neighborhood without having to shut down economic activity in the area for several years,” the blog post says.
In June, a coalition of transit advocates sent an open letter to Sound Transit urging the board to stick with its original location.
That plan “efficiently balances the impacts of construction with the benefits of reducing emissions and economic insecurity through increased ridership,” the letter stated.