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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Passing on for your information<o:p></o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'>FW: ST News Release: Sound Transit hosting online open house about potential changes to Link light rail fares and parking options<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello accessibility stakeholders,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Forwarded below is a news release on opportunities to provide input on potential changes to Link light rail fares and parking options. <a href="https://soundtransitfaresandparking.infocommunity.org/">More information as well as surveys on both potential fare changes and parking fees are available this web page</a><span style='color:black'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please note that Sound Transit is not considering any fare changes for youth 18 and under, seniors, people with disabilities, or people who use ORCA LIFT cards. To my knowledge, there are also not plans to charge fees for ADA parking. The online surveys and virtual open house are good opportunities to express any concerns you may have about either.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Beth Hamby </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(she/her)</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Senior Program Manager-Accessible Services<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Passenger Experience<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Desk: 206.717.9075<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Email: <a href="mailto:beth.hamby@soundtransit.org">beth.hamby@soundtransit.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Sound Transit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.soundtransit.org/">www.soundtransit.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><img border=0 width=160 height=48 style='width:1.6666in;height:.5in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.png@01D9F086.DCE1A6C0" alt="Sound Transit's logo"></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 25, 2023 1:35 PM<br><b>Subject:</b> ST News Release: Sound Transit hosting online open house about potential changes to Link light rail fares and parking options<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in'><img border=0 width=134 height=73 style='width:1.3958in;height:.7604in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D9F0E4.14299720" alt="ST logo vert BLK"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><h1 style='margin:0in;line-height:normal'><span lang=X-NONE style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Sept. 25, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h2 align=center style='margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><u><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;font-style:normal'>Sound Transit hosting online open house about potential changes to Link light rail fares and parking options<o:p></o:p></span></u></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b><i><span style='font-size:6.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal'><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Agency invites the public to take a survey to provide feedback on proposals<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Sound Transit has launched </span><a href="https://soundtransitfaresandparking.infocommunity.org/"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>an online open house</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'> to inform the public and to ask for feedback about changes the agency is considering to Link light rail fares and its parking program. The website, which is available through October 22, includes detailed information about the proposed changes and the potential impacts to riders. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Sound Transit is considering two fare structures for Link light rail that it would recommend to the agency’s Board of Directors. Under one proposal, fares would be based on distance traveled. <span style='color:#3C3C3C'>Base fare increases of $0.25 or $0.50 are under consideration, resulting in fare ranges of $2.50–$4.50 or $2.75–$4.75 after light rail expands to Lynnwood, Redmond, and Federal Way.</span> Under the second proposal, <span style='color:#3C3C3C;background:white'>flat fare rates of $3.00, $3.25, or $3.50 are under consideration. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The proposals may change as the agency learns more from community members. Sound Transit last increased Link light rail fares eight years ago. Currently, Sound Transit charges between $2.25 and $3.50 for adults traveling one way based on distance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Sound Transit is also considering changes to its parking program. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency established a reserved permit parking area at the busiest lots and issued free reserved carpool parking permits and paid reserved single-occupant vehicle permits. Permit parking was suspended in March 2020. Parking usage has been trending up in the last two years, and free carpool permit parking was re-started at the Tukwila International Boulevard and Northgate stations in 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>As Sound Transit prepares to open new Link light rail lines with 12 new and expanded park-and-ride lots in the next few years, parking is expected to regularly reach capacity. Now is the time to plan for efficient use of parking areas, to ensure passengers have reliable access to parking, and to recover agency costs associated with park-and-ride lots, as called for in the voter-approved ST3 System Plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Sound Transit is considering a variety of tools, including adoption of daily fees, at some or all park-and-ride lots. Monthly permits and daily user fees can help Sound Transit manage the availability of parking, so passengers are more likely to find a space when they need one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The online open house includes surveys where people can provide feedback on the various fare and parking options.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The link for the online open house is </span><a href="https://soundtransitfaresandparking.infocommunity.org/"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>https://soundtransitfaresandparking.infocommunity.org/</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>