Seattle

SEATTLE — At an October meeting, the Sound Transit board discussed what it would take to extend light rail service later into the night on Fridays and Saturdays, potentially keeping trains running until 2 a.m.

The conversation also raised the longer-term possibility of 24-hour service, giving riders more options to get home late at night.

“I don't think we could open 24/7 tomorrow. In fact, I know we can't. But let's do something short term that expands the average and makes it more useful,” said Sound Transit Vice Chair Claudia Balducci, a King County Council member.

Balducci argued that a limited weekend extension could be a relatively manageable first step, without requiring major infrastructure investments.

“I do think that expanding a few hours on a weekend night has got to be feasible. That is not a major lift. It doesn't require capital investments. It might require a little bit more operating costs. Frankly, we could adjust the rest of the week in community so that it's a net neutral,” she said.

Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine committed during the meeting to preparing a report examining what it would take to extend service.

But the agency says significant operational considerations remain. In a statement to KING 5, Sound Transit said it has no current plans to expand light rail service to 24 hours a day.

"The overnight window is critical for maintenance on both our trains and our tracks—essential work to meet our agency goals around resiliency," the agency said.

Sound Transit said it hopes to return to the board sometime next year to respond to questions raised during the October meeting.