Mayor Bruce Harrell stated that the Seattle Center Monorail will become fully accessible to everyone thanks to a $15 million fed grant. He said, “The Monorail is both an iconic connection to Seattle’s World’s Fair past and an accessible, frequent, carbon-free transportation option to reach our always forward-looking Seattle Center and its resident organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena.”
The project will receive an additional $5 million from Move Ahead Washington and $3 million from the Puget Sound Regional Council to cover the balance left after the $15 million federal grant. Thanks to a $15 million federal grant, the Seattle Center Monorail Station will become fully accessible to all riders under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What will the $23 million be used for in the project’s plans to improve accessibility?:
-Leveling the station platform
-Improve the ramp from Thomas St to the platform to be ADA compliant
-Creating a second accessible entrance that connects to the north side of the station, closer to attractions like McCaw Hall, the International Fountain, and the Theater District
-Improving tactile wayfinding for passengers who are blind or visually impaired
-Including more language options and translations
-Improving lighting and pathways
-Providing a vertical transportation options such a lift or elevator
Currently, the Seattle Center Monorail Station only provides one ADA compliant access point via a roundabout route through the Armory building which closes when the Armory is closed. The money awarded through the Federal Transit Administration’s All Stations Accessibility Program will allow for one of America’s oldest transit systems to become accessible to people with disabilities.
