17 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Federal Way, WA Mirror, 12/9/21:

 

   ‘Disappointed, but not surprised’: Federal Way site recommended for Sound Transit light rail vehicle facility  

 

 

The Sound Transit System Expansion Committee has recommended a Federal Way site to house the new Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) South.

 

Read this.

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit news release

 

Sound Transit Board identifies preferred alternative site for Operations and Maintenance Facility South    

 

Facility is needed to store, clean and maintain expanding light rail fleet

 

December 16, 2021

 

 

The Sound Transit Board today identified South 336th Street in Federal Way as the preferred alternative to study for a new Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) South located in South King County. An OMF is where light rail trains go for cleaning, storage and maintenance. To keep its entire light rail system functioning, Sound Transit needs to strategically locate OMFs that operate 24 hours a day, year-round.

 

The Board weighed community priorities, input from Native American tribes, agencies and cities as well as a technical study consisting of more than three years of analysis. The OMF South will serve Sound Transit’s growing light rail fleet as the agency continues to expand congestion-free light rail across the region. The facility will generate approximately 470 full-time living wage, union-supported jobs.

 

"Having been in the trenches when we sited the Operation and Maintenance Facility East in Bellevue, I know these decisions are never easy," King County Council Chair and Sound Transit System Expansion Committee Chair Claudia Balducci said. "Reaching agreement on the South 336th Street Alternative required a lot of detailed technical work and analysis from staff, substantive engagement with neighbors and other stakeholders, and diligent deliberation by Boardmembers, especially those members of the System Expansion Committee.  I’m glad we found a solution that fulfills the project goals while balancing the impacts to the surrounding community."

 

In May 2019, the Sound Transit Board identified three sites to be studied in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for OMF South:

• Midway Landfill and Interstate 5 (I-5) – The site is located south of South 246th Street, west of and adjacent to I-5 and sits mostly on a former superfund landfill site. 
• South 336th Street and I-5 – The site is located in the City of Federal Way, west of I-5 and south of South 336th Street. 
• South 344th Street and I-5 – The site is located in the City of Federal Way, west of I-5 and north of South 344th Street. 

 

This is not a final decision on the site for the OMF South facility. The preferred alternative site at South 336th Street will now be studied, along with the two alternative sites as part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) scheduled for publication in 2022. In the FEIS, Sound Transit will respond to substantive comments provided by the public, Native American tribes, agencies and cities received during the DEIS comment period.

 

Following issuance of the FEIS, the Board is expected to select the project to be built in late 2022. Final design, construction and testing of the facility are scheduled to take place from late 2024 – 2028, with the new facility opening in 2029. 

 

Sound Transit currently operates one OMF in Seattle and another facility in Bellevue. In addition to studying potential locations for an OMF in South King County, the agency will also require a new OMF in Sound Transit’s North Corridor.

 

For more information on this project and to sign up for project updates visit us at www.soundtransit.org/omfs.

 

[CNJRoss]

9/22/23

 

 

 

 

 

Project update

 

 

Photo of Link light rail trains at Operations and Maintenance Facility South

 

Provide comments: OMF South NEPA Draft EIS 2023

 

Sound Transit, alongside the Federal Transit Agency (FTA), recently published the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Draft / State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) South project.

 

This milestone document evaluates near- and long-term impacts on the natural and built environment. In it, we assess how building on each possible site would affect air and water quality, historical and cultural resources, nearby properties, ecosystem resources, cost, schedule, and more.

 

The OMF South Draft EIS, published under the SEPA in 2021, analyzed three potential alternatives: the Midway Landfill, South 344th Street, and South 336th Street alternatives. After a public comment period (engagement summary, comment summary), the Sound Transit Board identified Federal Way’s South 336th Street site as the preferred alternative in December 2021.

 

We are publishing a NEPA Draft/SEPA Supplemental Draft EIS that evaluates these same alternatives to align federal and state processes. Based on its transit expertise and greater federal funding opportunities, the FTA is the lead federal agency. A joint NEPA/SEPA Final EIS will follow in 2024.

 

Learn more and provide comments

 

 

What’s an OMF?

 

An OMF is where Link light rail trains go for cleaning, storage, and maintenance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Sound Transit needs four strategically located OMF facilities. A new OMF in the South Sound would receive, store, and service a larger train fleet in support of future light rail extensions to Tacoma and throughout the region. To build this new facility, it requires approximately 60-70 acres (for reference, one football field is 1.3 acres) near the Federal Way Link Extension.

 

 

Get involved

 

Community input is vital to this project. The 45-day formal comment period begins today, Sept. 22, and ends Nov. 6.

All comments that were provided on the SEPA Draft EIS in 2021 remain valid and do not need to be resubmitted. We will respond to all substantive comments from both comment periods in the Final EIS.

 

Ways to comment:

• Comment now using the online comment form.
• Email or voicemail: OMFSouthDEIS@Soundtransit.org or 206-257-2141.
• Attend a public hearing (see below).
• Submit your comment by mail: OMF South Project, c/o Elma Borbe, Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St. Seattle, WA 98104.

Sound Transit will host the following upcoming public meetings:

• Virtual: Thursday, Oct. 19, from 11:30am to 1:30pm.
• In-person: Federal Way Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 5:30 to 7:30pm.

These meetings are a great opportunity for project updates, questions for the project team, and providing comments via a public hearing process. The same information will be offered in both meetings, so attend whichever option works best for your schedule.

 

How to access the Draft EIS

 

The Draft EIS is available for public review in a variety of formats and locations.

• Online: www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/operations-maintenance-facility-south/documents.
• Paper copies available for review at the following locations:
  • Federal Way Library, 34200 1st Way S, Federal Way
  • Federal Way 320th Library, 848 S 320th St, Federal Way
  • Federal Way Community Center, 876 S 333rd Street, Federal Way
  • Federal Way City Hall, 33325 8th Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003
  • Kent Library, 212 2nd Ave N, Kent
  • Kent Commons Community Center, 525 4th Ave N, Kent
  • Kent City Hall, 220 4th Avenue S, Kent
• Paper copies are also available for the costs listed below. To request paper copies or a flash drive of the documents, please contact Dominique Jones at (206) 689-4783 or email dominique.jones@soundtransit.org.
• Executive Summary - free
• EIS - $25.00
• Technical Reports and other appendices - $15.00 each

 

Resources for property owners

 

Final decisions on affected properties and acquisitions will follow the final design, which begins after the Final EIS and the Sound Transit Board selects the project to be built. Until then our project outreach team is available to help with questions every step of the way. To set up a property owner briefing with members of the project team, you can:

 

• Visit OMFSouthPropertyOwnerBriefings.as.me
• Leave a voicemail at 206-398-5453
• Email us at OMFSouth@soundtransit.org

 

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit news release

45-day comment period begins on federal Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Operations and Maintenance Facility – South

 

Three alternatives studied in Draft EIS; previous comments made on the state Draft Environmental Impact Statement (in 2021) remain valid

 

September 22, 2023

 

Today, Sound Transit launched a public comment period for a combined National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft EIS and State Environmental Policy Act Supplemental Draft EIS for the Operations and Maintenance Facility – South (OMF South). Based on its transit expertise and greater federal funding opportunities, the Federal Transit Administration will be the lead federal agency. A joint NEPA/SEPA Final EIS will follow in 2024.

 

All public comments provided on the SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) Draft EIS in 2021 are valid and do not need to be resubmitted. Sound Transit will respond to all substantive comments from both comment periods in the Final EIS.

 

After the Final EIS is published, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built, anticipated in mid-2024.

 

The OMF South alternatives being studied include:

• Midway Landfill alternative
• South 336th St. alternative, the preferred alternative identified by the Sound Transit Board in 2021
• South 344th St. alternative

 

Since the 2021 SEPA Draft EIS, additional preliminary engineering has further refined the alternatives. Changes include:

• The addition of a test track and associated access road to the proposed site layouts for South 336th Street preferred alternative and South 344th St. alternatives. The test track would help prepare new and existing light rail vehicles for service.
• Site reconfiguration and new street layouts for the South 336th St. preferred alternative, including a new entrance and fish passage improvements.

 

The facility is needed to support the delivery of new light rail vehicles in the early 2030s. Learn about the project, subscribe for updates and send us your questions and feedback at https://omfsouth.participate.online.

 

How to comment

 

Comment now via the online comment form.

 

Attend a virtual public meeting/hearing

• Thursday, Oct. 19, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

 

Attend an in-person public meeting to make a verbal comment.

• Tuesday, Oct. 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Federal Way Performing Arts and Events Center (31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S., Federal Way, WA 98003)

 

Email or voicemail: OMFSouthDEIS@soundtransit.org or 206-257-2141

 

Mail: OMF South Project, c/o Erin Green
Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St. Seattle, WA 98104

 

The full Draft EIS document is available here.

 

The comment period closes Nov. 6, 2023.

 

Approved by voters in 2016, the OMF South supports the 116-mile expansion of the Puget Sound’s light rail network.

 

The OMF South will provide Link light rail trains with cleaning, storage, and maintenance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This new OMF is needed in the South Sound to receive, store and service a larger train fleet to support future light rail extensions to Tacoma, West Seattle and the region.  

 

 

[CNJRoss]

5/10/24

 

 

 

 

Project update

 

 

Summary documents from fall 2023 Draft EIS comment period available online

 

To align federal and state environmental review processes for the Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) South project, Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Draft/State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with a 45-day comment period in fall 2023. The Draft EIS engagement summary and comment summary report are now available for you to review on the project website:

• Engagement Summary
  • A summary of Sound Transit’s engagement during the Draft EIS 45-day comment period from Sept. 22 to Nov. 6, 2023.
• Comment Summary Report
• A summary of all the comments received during the 2023 Draft EIS comment period. This summary includes an appendix with all the received letters, emails, voicemails, website comments, and verbal comments given during public hearings.

We prepared similar documents as part of the 2021 SEPA Draft EIS comment period; these are also available for your review (engagement summary, comment summary).

 

What’s happening next?

 

Sound Transit and the FTA are preparing a Final EIS that responds to substantiative comments received on the 2021 SEPA Draft EIS and the 2023 NEPA Draft/SEPA Supplemental Draft EIS. We expect to publish the Final EIS in June 2024. We will email you details on accessing the Final EIS in varied formats and locations. After the Final EIS is published, the Board will select a project to be built, and we anticipate the FTA will issue a Record of Decision under NEPA.

 

Stay connected

 

Look for future project updates, and encourage your friends, family, and community members to subscribe.

We’re always interested in talking to the community. Request a briefing for your community group to learn more about the project and how you can stay involved.

Reach out

 

More project info: soundtransit.org/system-expansion/operations-maintenance-facility-south

Get in touch: OMFSouth@soundtransit.org or 206-398-5453

 

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit news release

 

Sound Transit releases final environmental study for Operations and Maintenance Facility South

 

Board to select project to be built later this month

 

June 7, 2024

 

Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration today issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Operations and Maintenance Facility South, which will support storing and maintenance of Link light rail trains for future expansion, including service to West Seattle and Tacoma, while providing over 600 living-wage jobs.

 

The Final EIS responds to comments on the 2021 and 2023 Draft EIS documents, provides a detailed look at project benefits, and potential impacts and mitigation measures that would help inform the Sound Transit Board as it considers the final project. 

 

The Operations and Maintenance Facility South is critical for Sound Transit’s transformational transit expansion program. The facility will provide the necessary space to store and service the light rail vehicles the agency needs as the system grows from the current 35-mile, 39-station, two-line system into a 116-mile, 83-station regional network. When completed, the facility will service about 144 light rail vehicles for train cleaning and repairs.  

 

With the Final EIS released, staff anticipate providing a project update to the Sound Transit Board’s System Expansion Committee on June 13. At that meeting, the committee will consider recommending a project to be built to the full Board of Directors. The full Board is expected to select the project to build at its June 27 meeting.

 

The alternatives under consideration include:  

• The South 336th Street Alternative in Federal Way, the previously board-identified preferred alternative
• The South 344th Street Alternative in Federal Way
• The Midway Landfill Alternative in Kent 

 

Once the Board selects the final project, the project will advance to final design work and construction. The Board has identified a target in-service date of 2029. The Final EIS indicates a completion date of 2032-2037, depending on which alternative is selected to be built, and actions are being taken to reduce the schedule.

 

The Operations and Maintenance Facility South Final EIS is available at local libraries and community centers in the cities of Kent and Federal Way and online here.

 

Since the launch of the Operations and Maintenance Facility South project in 2018, Sound Transit has conducted multiple rounds of engagement including online and in-person open houses and community briefings. 

 

 

 

[CNJRoss]

6/7/24

 

 

 

Project update

 

 

OMF South Final EIS now available

Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have published the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) South project. The Final EIS:

• Describes the preferred alternative in Federal Way and other alternatives in Federal Way and Kent, including their potential impacts and benefits.
• Identifies ways to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts.
• Responds to Draft EIS comments from 2021 and 2023.
• Complies with National and State Environmental Policy Acts (NEPA/SEPA).

Accessing the Final EIS
The Final EIS is available in a variety of formats and locations.

• Online: The OMF South Final EIS is available on the Sound Transit website. 
• Paper copies available for review at the following locations:
  • Federal Way Library, 34200 1st Way S, Federal Way
  • Federal Way 320th Library, 848 S 320th St, Federal Way
  • Federal Way Community Center, 876 S 333rd St, Federal Way
  • Federal Way City Hall, 33325 8th Ave S, Federal Way, WA
  • Kent Library, 212 2nd Ave N, Kent
  • Kent Commons Community Center, 525 4th Ave N, Kent
  • Kent City Hall, 220 4th Ave S, Kent
  • Sound Transit, 410 S Jackson St, Seattle (Call 206-398-5344 to schedule an appointment)
• Paper copies are also available for the costs listed below. To request paper copies or a flash drive of the documents, please contact Dominique Jones at
  206-689-4783 or email dominique.jones@soundtransit.org.
• Executive Summary - free
• EIS - $25.00
• Technical Reports and other appendices - $15.00 each

Learn more

 

What’s an OMF?

 

An OMF is where Link light rail trains go for cleaning, storage, and maintenance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Sound Transit needs four strategically located OMF facilities. Sound Transit must construct a new OMF in the South Sound to receive, store, and service a large train fleet to support future light rail extensions throughout the region. Building this new facility requires approximately 60-70 acres (for reference, one football field is 1.3 acres) near the Federal Way Link Extension.

 

Next steps

 

During its June 27, 2024 meeting, we expect the Sound Transit Board to select the project to be built. The Board will consider the Final EIS analysis, Draft EIS comments from 2021 and 2023, and other information to decide. Following the Board action, we expect the FTA to issue a Record of Decision under the NEPA.

 

After securing a federal Record of Decision, the project will begin detailed design work and construction planning.

 

Stay connected

 

Look for future project updates, and encourage your friends, family, and community members to subscribe.

We’re always interested in talking to the community. Request a briefing for your community group to learn more about the project and how you can stay involved.

Reach out

 

More project info: soundtransit.org/system-expansion/operations-maintenance-facility-south

Get in touch: OMFSouth@soundtransit.org or 206-398-5453

 

 

[CNJRoss]

The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA 6/8/24

Raze mega-church? Build on Superfund site? Sound Transit IDs maintenance facility options

 

Sound Transit has completed a study of the environmental impact of three potential sites for a new operations and maintenance facility that would serve Tacoma when Link light rail reaches the city in 2035. Now, it’s up to the agency’s board to pick a winner in a matter of days.

 

Two choices, including the preferred pick, would be on the extension from Federal Way to Tacoma, which has yet to break ground. The third and most problematic site would be on a former landfill adjacent to the extension now under construction between Federal Way and Angle Lake.

 

 

Continue here.