Federal Way Link Extension

The Federal Way Link Extension is a planned Link Light Rail extension of Line 1 that will travel 7.8 miles (12.6 km) south from Sea-Tac Airport to Federal Way, along the west side of Interstate 5. It was approved in 2008, but scaled back in 2010 to terminate at Kent/Des Moines station. The South 272nd Street and Federal Way Transit Center stations were re-instated in 2016, with the passing of Sound Transit 3. The project is expected to begin construction in 2020 and open in 2024.[1]

Federal Way Link
to Line 1
 Angle Lake
 Kent/Des Moines
 South 272nd Street
 Federal Way TC

History

In November 2008, voters approved funding for the segment between Sea-Tac Airport and Redondo/Star Lake at South 272nd Street. However, reduced tax revenue as a result of the economic recession led Sound Transit to suspend all work south of Angle Lake Station (South 200th Street) in December 2010.[2] Construction on the South 200th Link Extension to Angle Lake station began in April 2013.[3] Angle Lake station opened to the public on September 24, 2016.

On July 23, 2015, the Sound Transit Board selected their preferred alternative for the Federal Way Link Extension, routed along the west side of Interstate 5 with three stations serving Highline College, the Star Lake park and ride and Federal Way Transit Center.[4] Funding for preliminary engineering on the southern segment was restored in February 2016, allowing for planning to resume.[5] The Sound Transit 3 ballot measure was passed by voters in 2016, including funding and approval to open Federal Way Link in 2024, from Angle Lake to Federal Way Transit Center via Star Lake and Kent/Des Moines.[6] The final alignment for the line was chosen in January 2017, with an agreement signed with Federal Way Public Schools to move an elementary school near South 272nd Street station.[7]

In July 2018, the project's estimated cost was revised to $2.55 billion, due to land acquisition costs and limited availability of suitable contractors.[8] The Federal Transit Administration awarded a $790 million grant and $629 million loan to Sound Transit for the project in December 2019.[9] Construction began in early 2020, which was commemorated with a virtual groundbreaking ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Light rail service to Federal Way is planned to open in late 2024.[9][10]

Route

From Angle Lake station, the terminus of the South 200th Link Extension, the line will travel southeast along the planned State Route 509 freeway extension to Interstate 5. From there, trains will run on the west side of I-5, serving Highline College at Kent/Des Moines station, and a park-and-ride at South 272nd Street near Star Lake, before ending at the Federal Way Transit Center.[4]

A new operations and maintenance facility will be constructed near Kent/Des Moines station or south Federal Way to support operations of the future Tacoma Dome Link Extension.[11] The proposed Kent/Des Moines site is at the former Midway Landfill, replacing an earlier proposal that was withdrawn after public concerns over the displacement of a Dick's Drive-In.[12]

Stations
Name City/Neighborhood Location Planned
Year
Angle Lake Seatac International Blvd and S 200th St 2016
End of South 200th Link Extension
Kent/Des Moines Kent, Des Moines Pacific Highway S and Kent-Des Moines Rd 2024
South 272nd Street Federal Way Pacific Highway S and S 272nd St 2024
Federal Way Transit Center Federal Way 23rd Ave S and S 317th St 2024

References
  1. "Federal Way Link Extension". Sound Transit. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  2. "Sound Transit Board Motion No. M2010-102" (PDF). Sound Transit. December 16, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  3. Lindblom, Mike (April 26, 2013). "Work begins on south end of Link light rail". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  4. "Sound Transit Board identifies preferred alternative for light rail extension to Kent/Des Moines, Federal Way" (Press release). Sound Transit. July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  5. "Sound Transit advances engineering for Federal Way, Redmond light rail extensions" (Press release). Sound Transit. February 25, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  6. Demay, Daniel (May 26, 2016). "Sound Transit bumps up timelines for next phases of light rail". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  7. Dawson, Rachel (January 30, 2017). "Officials reach agreement on Federal Way Link Extension's impact to Mark Twain Elementary". Federal Way Mirror. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  8. Lindblom, Mike (July 26, 2018). "Soaring land and construction costs push light-rail line to Federal Way over $2.5 billion". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  9. Lindblom, Mike (December 16, 2019). "Feds say they'll grant $790M for Federal Way light-rail extension". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  10. Sailor, Craig (July 16, 2020). "The earth is moving for $3.1 billion light rail extension from SeaTac to Federal Way". The News Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  11. "Operations and Maintenance Facility South". Sound Transit. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  12. Eldridge, Keith (May 24, 2019). "Dick's Drive-In in Kent spared from destruction by Sound Transit". KOMO 4 News. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
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