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ST - Tacoma Dome Link Extension aka TDLE


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#11 KevinKorell

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Posted 17 August 2021 - 06:42 PM

E-mail from Sound Transit 8/17/21:
 

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Project update Sound Transit Board realignment action


 
As a Tacoma Dome Link Extension project stakeholder, you’ve heard about the Sound Transit Board’s ongoing work to advance our voter-approved projects in a challenging fiscal environment.

In early 2020, the Board launched a process called realignment to review options for addressing the significant affordability gap affecting our future transit expansion projects throughout the region that are not yet under construction. Most recently forecasted at $6.5 billion, this gap means that completing many of these projects on their original schedules is not affordable.

On Thursday, Aug. 5, the Board adopted a new flexible framework to support moving forward with projects as rapidly as possible. Learn more about the Board’s action in our Platform blog post.

Updated TDLE project timeline

The Board’s adopted plans identify 2032 as the earliest date we could open Link light rail service to South Federal Way, Fife and Tacoma.

Some projects in the planning phase, including the TDLE, have experienced non-financial delays in recent months. Many government and community project partners were forced to shift resources to addressing the human impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and were justifiably unable to review planning and environmental documents during that time. When combined with our own delays, these delays in individual agencies and organizations had a compounding effect on some project schedules, including the TDLE, which faces opening date delays of up to two years even if projected financial impacts are eliminated.

Separate parking timeline

The Board’s adopted plan also identifies 2038 as the timeframe we can afford to open the South Federal Way and Fife station parking facilities associated with TDLE. The ultimate timeline for parking facilities will come into greater focus as we advance the environmental review process and project design, including examining cost-saving options.

Real estate, construction costs continue to surge

Rising construction expenses have led to cost estimate increases for many projects currently in early planning and design, like the TDLE. In early 2021, Sound Transit commissioned independent experts to assess the agency’s cost estimates. Their review of major projects validated that the agency’s updated cost estimates are within an appropriate range for the current level of project design, approximately 10%.

As design advances, we’ll refine project estimates for this and other projects in planning, drawing on recommendations from the independent reviewer. Sound Transit’s finance department, with the guidance of outside economists, will regularly update revenue and inflation projections, with the hope that recent improvements to economic and revenue forecasts continue.

Learn more about the realignment process and increased construction cost estimates at soundtransit.org/realignment.

Next steps

Upcoming work to advance the TDLE project includes:
  • Publishing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public review and comment (scheduled Spring 2022). A Draft EIS analyzes and documents a project's potential impacts to the natural and built environment, and it proposes ways to mitigate unavoidable impacts.
  • Sound Transit Board modifies and/or confirms the preferred alternative (scheduled Fall 2022). A preferred alternative is a statement of where the agency is leaning based on information available at the time. It's not a final decision.
  • Publishing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (2024). A Final EIS includes responses to all substantive comments received on the Draft EIS.
  • Sound Transit Board makes final decisions on routes and stations and identifies the project to be built (2024).
We hope you’ll continue to participate in our work to move this important project forward.
Questions? Please feel free to reach out to the TDLE project at tdlink@soundtransit.org or call 206-398-5453.

Thank you,
Curvie Hawkins
Project Director
If you do not wish to receive future emails, please update your preferences here.

 

More project info: soundtransit.org/tdlink
Get in touch: tdlink@soundtransit.org or 206-903-7118



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#12 CNJRoss

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Posted 27 February 2023 - 04:56 PM

2/27/23

 

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Project update

 

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Explore potential new route and station alternatives in Fife and South Federal Way

 

The Tacoma Dome Link Extension (TDLE) project is currently in the environmental review phase of planning. As part of this phase, Sound Transit develops conceptual design and prepares an Environmental Impact Statement that evaluates the potential impacts of the project. Through this work, we found the need to consider more station options in Fife and an additional route and associated station option in the South Federal Way/Milton area. There are no other alternatives being proposed in Tacoma.

The Sound Transit Board will review these potential additions before acting on March 23 to identify if they should be studied in the EIS.

Learn more and get involved by March 17
To learn more about the potential new route and station alternatives in Fife and South Federal Way, visit tdlink.participate.online now through March 17. The online open house is also available in Spanish, Korean, Khmer and Russian.

You can also attend an informational drop-in session to learn more:

·   Milton/ Edgewood Library: Wednesday, March 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

·   Federal Way Community Center: Tuesday, March 14 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

·   Poodle Dog Restaurant: Wednesday, March 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Learn more

 

How will this impact the project?

 

It would take additional time to bring the potential station options and additional route alternative up to the same level of evaluation as the existing alternatives. If the Board identifies additional alternatives for study, Sound Transit anticipates publishing the Draft EIS in 2024. When the Draft EIS is published, there will be an opportunity to make formal public comments on the project that will be sent to the Sound Transit Board for consideration. This delay would also impact the start of service for the Tacoma Dome Link, which we now anticipate opening in 2035.

 

What is a Draft EIS?

 

An Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS for short, provides Tribal Nations, agencies and the public an understanding of a project's potential impacts to the natural and built environment, and it identifies ways to mitigate unavoidable impacts. Through this process, we analyze each alternative and design option, considering things like effects on historic and cultural resources, residential properties, businesses, communities, the local economy and other resources.

We expect to publish the Draft EIS in mid-2024, at which time we'll also invite Tribal Nations, agencies and the public to provide formal comments. We'll then prepare a Final EIS, which will include updates as needed, further evaluation of the preferred alternative identified by the Board following comments on the Draft EIS, and of the other alternatives considered in the Draft EIS. The Final EIS will also include responses to substantive public, agency and tribal comments submitted on the Draft EIS.

After publication of the Final EIS, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built, informed by the EIS analyses and public, tribal and agency comments.

 

What is TDLE?

 

The Tacoma Dome Link Extension will add nearly 10 miles to our regional light rail system via mostly elevated tracks between Federal Way and Tacoma. This project includes four new light rail stations in the South Federal Way, Fife, East Tacoma / Portland Avenue and Tacoma Dome areas. These stations will also provide connections to other regional transit services like the Sounder S Line, the Link T Line, ST Express, King County Metro, Pierce Transit, Intercity Transit and Amtrak.

Visit our website

 

Stay connected

 

Keep your eye out for future project updates and encourage your friends, family and fellow community members to subscribe.

We’re always interested in talking with 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/tdlink
Get in touch: tdlink@soundtransit.org
 or 206-398-5453
New to Sound Transit? 
Learn more.

 

 



#13 CNJRoss

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Posted 27 February 2023 - 05:57 PM

Sound Transit news release

Public feedback period open for additional Tacoma Dome Link Extension stations and alignment   

 
Public can provide input through March 17; Draft EIS to be published mid-2024
 
February 27, 2023

 

Today, Sound Transit launched a public engagement period for potential additional station and alignment alternatives for the Tacoma Dome Link Extension.

 

Through environmental work to date, Sound Transit identified the need to consider more station options in Fife due to the presence of floodplains and an additional route in the South Federal Way/Milton area to avoid potential effects to known cultural resources and constructability challenges along the I-5 alignment.

 

If identified for further study by the Sound Transit Board of Directors, the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement is now anticipated to be published in mid-2024. Service is projected to begin in 2035. Dates and project milestones remain subject to change as further study continues.

 

The online and in-person open houses will provide information on these new options.

  Website

 

Learn about the new potential project alternatives near you, subscribe for updates and send us your questions and feedback at tdlink.participate.online

  In-person drop-in sessions

 

Visit us in-person to learn more and get your questions answered by project team staff. 
 
 

Milton/Edgewood Library
Wednesday, March 8 // 5-7 p.m.
900 Meridian Ave. E., Milton

 

Federal Way Community Center
Tuesday, March 14 // 8-10 a.m.
876 S. 333rd St., Federal Way

 

Poodle Dog Restaurant
Wednesday, March 15 // 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
1522 54th Ave. E., Fife 

 

Approved by voters in 2016, the Tacoma Dome Link Extension will add nearly 10 miles to the regional light rail system via mostly elevated tracks between Federal Way and Tacoma. This project includes four new light rail stations in the South Federal Way, Fife, East Tacoma/Portland Avenue and Tacoma Dome areas. 

 

 



#14 CNJRoss

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Posted 27 March 2023 - 07:16 PM

3/27/23

 

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Project update
 

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Sound Transit Board approves additional route and station options for study in the Draft EIS

 

On March 23, 2023, the Sound Transit Board approved additional station options in Fife and an additional route and associated station options in South Federal Way/Milton for study in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, anticipated to be published in mid-2024.

 

The alignment north of the SF Enchanted Parkway station will remain the preferred alternative. The alignment south of the station no longer has a preferred alternative to allow the board time to research and find a better one, but an option will be identified after the publication of the Draft EIS and before the publication of the Final EIS.

 

We will continue to study SF Enchanted Parkway as well as the new route along Pacific Highway in the Draft and Final EIS. For details, please review the Board Motion.

 

Learn more
 
Thanks to all who contacted us!

 

We spoke to over 110 people at our drop-in sessions in Fife, Milton, and Federal Way. In addition to our in-person events, over 2,150 people participated in our online open house, responding with more than 85 questions and comments.

 

Some key takeaways were the community's concerns over business and residential displacements along all proposed routes, detriments to natural areas and cultural resources, and increased traffic congestion. Many commenters asked when the Draft EIS would be available, when property acquisitions would be more certain, and when TDLE would open for service. To learn more about our engagement process and the comments we received, please see our Public

 

Engagement Summary.

 
What comes next?

 

The Draft EIS will include more detailed information about all routes and stations and their potential effects on the natural and built environments. We’ll seek comments from the public, Tribal Nations, cities, and agencies during a formal public comment period when the Draft EIS is published, which is now expected in mid-2024.

 

Properties potentially affected by the additional alternatives will be identified in the Draft EIS, and we will notify these property owners before publishing the Draft EIS.

 

Before then, contact us to request a briefing on the project or to learn more about Sound Transit’s property acquisition and relocation process. You can check out our TDLE project website for more background on the project.

 

Keep checking for future project updates and encourage your friends, family, and fellow community members to

subscribe.

 

Reach out
 
 

More project info: soundtransit.org/tdlink
Get in touch: tdlink@soundtransit.org
or 206-398-5453
New to Sound Transit?
Learn more.

 

 



#15 KevinKorell

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Posted 27 March 2023 - 07:30 PM

It's good to be a step ahead of yourselves, but let's get Federal Way extension and East Link opened first.



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#16 KevinKorell

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Posted 01 April 2023 - 08:33 PM

While this publication is in Federal Way and the article discusses routes within that municipality, this is south of the Federal Way station and thus is part of the further extension as Tacoma Downtown Link Extension.

 

From Federal Way Mirror, 3/31/23:

 


 

  Sound Transit board mulls options for light rail line through south Federal Way   

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This map from Sound Transit shows several options under consideration for how the Link light rail line will proceed through the Federal Way area. The recent action by the organization’s board maintains the northern section of the line in green as the “preferred alternative,” or the route ST believes is the best option. But the area south of the SF Enchanted Parkway Station is no longer part of the preferred route, and in fact, there isn’t a preferred route past that point any longer. Sound Transit will continue studying its options.

 

 

Continue



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#17 CNJRoss

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Posted 22 August 2023 - 11:14 PM

8/22/23

 

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Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension service

begins on Saturday, September 16

 

Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension of the T Line will open to passengers on September 16, 2023.

The 2.4-mile Hilltop extension doubles the length of the T Line and includes seven new stations.

 

The new stations are:

  • St. Joseph (Martin Luther King Jr. Way south of South 17th St.)
  • Hilltop District (South 11th and M.L.K. Way)
  • 6th Avenue (at M.L.K. Way)
  • Tacoma General (M.L.K Way at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital)
  • Stadium District (North 1st St. at North G St.)
  • South 4th (at South Stadium Way)
  • Old City Hall Station (Commerce St. north of South 7th St.)

Trains will run from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7:20 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Monday through Saturday, trains will run at approximately every 12 minutes from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and every 20 minutes at all other times.

 

Learn more

 

 






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