Combined environmental scoping meetings on Lakewood-Tacoma commuter rail and SR-512 park-and-ride lot expansion to be held in late July

In late 2001, Sound Transit's Sounder commuter trains will serve South Tacoma and Lakewood area passengers with convenient, comfortable daily service all the way to Everett using the existing Burlington Northern/Santa Fe railroad line. But first, a comprehensive study of the scope of Sounder's possible environmental impacts will have to be completed including station location alternatives, railroad track improvements and a light maintenance and layover facility. 

In addition, the process has been expanded to review impacts of building new parking facilities near or at the SR 512 park-and-ride lot in Lakewood. Sound Transit is encouraging people to attend one of two meetings in late July to help define the scope of the environmental study that needs to be done on the Lakewood to Tacoma commuter rail route and express bus park-and-ride lot alternatives. 

The public comments received from these scoping meetings will help define the issues that will be examined as Sound Transit prepares the environmental impact statement required by state and federal laws. Both meetings will be informal open houses at which those attending may learn more about the proposed alternatives and ask questions of Sound Transit staff. There will be opportunities for the public to present their comments for the record throughout each meeting. Anyone unable to attend may send written comments to: 

Perry Weinberg, responsible official, State Environmental Policy Act 
Sound Transit
1100 - 2nd Ave., Suite 500
Seattle WA 98101-3423

In addition to the 81-mile Sounder commuter rail line between Lakewood and Everett, Sound Transit is building a 1.6 mile Link light rail line in Tacoma and a 21-mile Link light rail line connecting the cities of SeaTac, Tukwila and Seattle, and Regional Express service that includes at least 18 new limited-stop ST Express regional bus routes and numerous improvements to transit centers, park-and-ride lots and high-occupancy vehicle lanes throughout the region. 

For more information on Sound Transit please call or visit our Tacoma Community Office at 1003 Pacific Ave., 253-572-5484; Web site at www.soundtransit.org; e-mail at main@soundtransit.org/; or write our main office at 1100 Second Ave., Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98101

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Sound Transit plans, builds and operates regional transit systems and services to improve mobility for Central Puget Sound.