he board picked a west side of Interstate 5 alignment in July as the preferred route <\/a>for a 7.6-mile extension of light rail from SeaTac to Federal Way rather than down Highway 99, also known as Pacific Highway South.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nSound Transit plans to expand light rail from the Angle Lake Station at South 200th in SeaTac, which opens in 2016, to Kent\/Des Moines, just north of South 240th Street, by 2023 and then the full stretch to Federal Way near South 320th Street when more funding is secured for the more than $1 billion project. Construction is expected to begin in 2019 on the SeaTac to Kent extension.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Sound Transit staff will prepare a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the preferred route with a final board decision to be made late next year.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Wolters told the board a station along 30th Avenue gives the best opportunity for Kent and Des Moines to implement their Envision Midway plan, an agreement between the two cities about zoning regulations and design guidelines to bring transit-oriented development to the area between South 216th Street and South 272nd Street.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kent will allow building heights from 55 to 200 feet, which is about 16 stories tall. City officials want to encourage developers to build up rather than the construction of more strip malls.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Highline College officials and students preferred a station on the west side of Pacific Highway, right next to the campus. With a station to be built on the east side, they want guarantees of safe pedestrian access between the station and the college, which is in Des Moines.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Part of the plan is for a new street, South 236th Lane, to be built to connect the light rail station and college campus. Sound Transit also will build a parking structure to handle 500 vehicles next to the light rail station.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
King County Councilman Dave Upthegrove, whose district includes Kent\u2019s West Hill and who serves on the Sound Transit board, said he wants all of the recommendations from stakeholders implemented, including making sure South 236th Lane is built and pedestrians have safe access to the college.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Cathal Ridge, light rail development manager, said cooperation between the agency, the cities of Kent and Des Moines, Highline College and the state Department of Transportation will help accomplish the recommendations, including a safe crossing for pedestrians.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is to work with the stakeholders to realize those,\u201d Ridge said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Upthegrove added he already knows what he wants to name the station, currently referred to as Kent\/Des Moines.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to call it Highline College Station,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Stakeholders in the Kent\/Des Moines area presented the board with the following recommendations:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Provide a connection from the station to Highline College along the future South 236th Lane. The group envisioned a boulevard that would include pedestrian walkways, lighting, landscaping, weather protection and other treatments.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Implement treatments at the future South 236th Lane crossing of SR 99 to enhance pedestrian safety and convenience.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Facilitate transit-oriented development along South 236th Lane in the near term to help activate the connection between the station and the college and enhance safety and security.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Maintain existing King County Metro bus stops on the south side of campus.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Improve pedestrian access from adjacent neighborhoods to the station area.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Facilitate housing development in the Midway area that can accommodate a mix of incomes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Consider naming the station \u201cHighline Station\u201d or \u201cHighline College Station.\u201d The group recognizes that adoption of a station name would be a board decision and subject to broader public input during final design.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 Continue to engage Highline students and other stakeholders in ongoing planning efforts.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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