File photo of Seattle light rail.
Othello Partners
Sound Transit has scrapped all plans to rename the University Street Station, which will retain its original name for the time being.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
The Sound Transit board voted to keep the original name "beyond 2021, pending some future regional overhaul of line- and station-naming policy" on Feb. 27, according to reporting by Mike Lindblom at The Seattle Times.
Sound Transit initiated the name change in 2019 to reduce rider confusion about two stations having "University" in the name. The other station is the University of Washington Station, which is located on the south end of the school's campus.
And with the opening of the new U District Station in 2021 as part of the Northgate link extension, Sound Transit feared there would be even more confusion. The U District Station will be located near UW Tower on the West side the campus to serve businesses on University Way Northeast, also known as "The Ave."
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
To choose a new name, Sound Transit conducted a public survey in of 14,000 people who voted to name it Symphony Station, a nod to the proximity to Benaroya Hall where the Seattle Symphony plays.
However, they ran into a technical issue naming it the Symphony Station, as their backend technology had already given the University Street Station the acronym of "USS."
"The acronym is used in all of our safety systems, manuals, wiring from fire control panels to emergency ventilation and building management," wrote Sound Transit on their announcement of University Station's new name.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Sound Transit indicated that changing the backend systems to accommodate a new name and a new acronym would cost $5.3 million. To avoid spending that money, the rider experience and operations committee compromised with the public's vote and voted to name the station Union Street/Symphony Station, despite the station having no exits on Union Street.
Thursday's vote will delay the name change for now. Sound Transit has not commented on any future overhauls of their line and station-naming policies.
RELATED: