BIA Could Pay to keep Link Free Until 2016

The currently free Link light rail in downtown Tacoma was set to go to a $1 adult fare beginning this September, with an increase to $1.50 after a year. The free ride could be pushed out to September of 2016.

The News Tribune reports that Tacoma's downtown Business Improvement Area has offered to pay to keep the 1.6 mile ride free to the public for another two years. It would cost the BIA, which represents downtown business owners, $58,000.

That $58,000 would be intended to cover the revenue that Sound Transit would earn by beginning to collect fares. We don't have a lot of details beyond that at this point, but the proposal is on the Sound Transit agenda for this Thursday, so more should be available soon.

An extension of the free ride seems like a pretty clear win for riders.