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ST/Lynnwood LINK extension construction


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#51 CNJRoss

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Posted 20 August 2022 - 02:34 PM

8/18/22

 

 

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Project update

 


The Sound Transit Board System Expansion Committee today received a detailed briefing on continuing efforts to identify new opening dates for current Link construction projects, including the Lynnwood Link extension project. This email provides an update on work to open these extensions as quickly as possible.    

 

Since April, Sound Transit has been flagging delays affecting not only the Lynnwood project but also on the Federal Way, Downtown Redmond and East Link extensions.

 

"Within about the next four years, our carbon- and congestion-free light rail system will more than double from 26 to 62 miles and from 25 to 50 stations," said Sound Transit Interim CEO Brooke Belman. "While we are on a path to fully resolve impacts of COVID-19, the concrete delivery strike and our construction challenges, we have more work to do before we can reliably establish opening dates. We will work tirelessly with our contractors to complete these extensions as rapidly as possible without compromising on safety or quality.”

 

As with other projects, the Lynnwood Link Extension has been impacted by the concrete delivery strike as well as COVID-19. The strike came at a critical time for construction on the Lynnwood extension, when concrete needs were especially important. The strike primarily affected L200, the southern segment of the project, which runs north from the existing Northgate Station to just south of the Snohomish County line. Due to lack of work, the contractor (Stacy and Witbeck/Kiewit/Hoffman) had to temporarily lay off some craftspeople. This resulted in a lag time for returning to work once the strike ended.  

 

The strike and COVID-related shutdowns and restrictions eroded much of the project’s eight-month float. As a result, future risks have the potential to further delay the opening of the project.  

 

Fortunately, known risks specific to the project are relatively limited. They include general risks such as challenges that can arise from staffing and supply chain issues, as well as completing fiber-optic connectivity, with work already underway to mitigate risks for the latter.   

 

While the Lynnwood Link extension was scheduled to open in mid-2024, continuing work is required to identify new project opening timelines for this as well as the other three projects. Timelines must include time for activation work once construction is complete. Based on the most recent assessments, completion of construction for the Lynnwood extension may be impacted by four to six months. This only slightly exceeds the more than four-month delay caused by the concrete delivery strike that ended in April, with project schedules absorbing most other impacts. An upcoming programmatic review will assess rail activation sequencing and time requirements to support the identification of new opening timeframes.  

 

Identifying new opening timelines requires continuing work to resolve project risks, as well the mentioned programmatic review that is now getting underway. Sound Transit will maintain intensive focus on these tasks and opening these projects as rapidly as possible without compromising their safety and quality. Action plans responding to challenges with all four of the current projects are summarized in a presentation provided at today’s meeting and a detailed memo.  

 

For more information, please contact Erik Ashlie-Vinke, Government & Community Relations Manager – North Corridor, at erik.ashlie-vinke@soundtransit.org.

 

More project info: soundtransit.org/lle56

 

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