‘They fail, or they move the goalpost’: Curley questions Sound Transit’s $87M fare gate math

Sound Transit’s board approved an $87 million fare gate pilot program at 14 light rail stations, projected to recover $32.8–$82.7 million yearly and pay for itself in two to three years. Critics, including KIRO host John Curley, question the math, pointing to San Francisco’s BART system’s similar $90 million project that is recovering only $10 million annually. The program targets the busiest stations and downtown stops as Sound Transit grapples with approximately 37% fare evasion.