Sound Transit nears decision on light rail route through Kent

Sound Transit will pick a preferred light rail route this summer for a more than $1 billion project to extend tracks from SeaTac to Kent and eventually to Federal Way.

The agency released on Friday a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that examines route alternatives and multiple station options. The potential routes are along State Route 99 (Pacific Highway South), the west side of Interstate 5 or a hybrid system that uses Highway 99 and I-5.

With the release of the EIS, the public will have a chance to tell Sound Transit which route they prefer at public meetings on Wednesday, May 6 at the Federal Way Community Center, and Thursday, May 7 at Highline College. Public hearings start at 5:30 p.m. at each meeting. People also can give feedback at federalwaylink.org through May 26.

Sound Transit plans to extend light rail from South 200th Street at Angle Lake in SeaTac to near South 240th Street in Kent. Eventually, if funding is available, the track would go to South 272nd Street in Federal Way and then to the Federal Way Transit Center near South 320th Street.

“Hopefully, in June or at least sometime this summer, the Sound Transit board will identify a preferred alternative,” said Cathal Ridge, South Corridor development manager of Sound Transit, at a Kent City Council workshop on Tuesday to preview the draft EIS.

The agency will release a final EIS on the preferred route in the middle of next year and the board will make a final route decision in late 2016, Ridge said.  After the design phase, construction is scheduled to begin in 2019 and service will start in 2023 to Kent/Des Moines.

The estimated cost of the alternative routes range from a low of $1.32 billion for an I-5 route with stations in Kent near I-5, at South 272nd Street by I-5, and at the Federal Way Transit Center; to a high of $1.84 billion for a Highway 99 route with stations at South 216th Street, near South 240th Street in Kent, South 272nd Street at Redondo and at the Federal Way Transit Center.

The four basis alternative routes are:

• State Route 99 with an elevated tracks down the highway

• The west side of I-5 either elevated or at-grade level tracks

• Start on State Route 99 and transition to I-5 in the Kent Des Moines Road and 30th Avenue South station area

• Start on I-5 and transition to State Route 99 near Kent Des Moines Road and 30th Avenue South station area

Ridge said the primary concerns raised so far by residents, property owners and city officials include minimizing impact to commercial parcels along Highway 99; protecting investments by cities along Highway 99 to develop the corridor; construction impacts of the project; allow for future construction of State Highway 509 extension; a general desire to locate a station close to Highline College in Des Moines; support transit-oriented development around the stations; unanimous concern for enough parking and transit connections to the stations.

“These are the things we have heard in outreach activities so far,” Ridge said. “We’ll probably hear a lot of these themes in the upcoming public comment period. But this gives you a flavor of what people are thinking of as they look at our analysis.”

The draft EIS also breaks down how many businesses or residential developments will be bought out by the agency depending on the route chosen. More businesses would be displaced with the Highway 99 route while more residential developments are impacted by an I-5 alternative.

Sound Transit is looking at as many as eight potential locations for the Kent-Des Moines station. The alternatives include on the Highline campus; on the west side, east side or in the middle of Pacific Highway South; on 30th Avenue South; as well as along I-5.

Kent city officials prefer a Pacific Highway location in an effort to boost economic development in what’s known as the Midway area.

Sound Transit gets the majority of its funding through sales taxes, vehicle licensing fees, federal grants and fare box revenue. Voters initially approved funding light rail in 1996 and approved a sales tax increase in 2008 to fund expansion projects through 2023 to Southwest King County, Overlake and Lynnwood.