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Sound Transit board selects "most promising" Link light rail routes for further study

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The board of Sound Transit - The Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority - today selected the 18 most promising potential routes for the central Link light rail system that will connect the cities of Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac. Nearly 40 potential routes were initially considered, many of them suggested by local communities and citizens for the 24-mile all-electric system. A separate analysis of routes and stations is being conducted for Tacoma's 1.6 mile Link light rail system. 

The 18 potential routes will be studied for the draft Environmental Impact Statement scheduled to be completed by November 1998. For study purposes, the central Link light rail system is divided into six segments with each section having at least two potential routes for further study.  

A briefing book outlining these routes is available from Sound Transit. Please contact Clarence Moriwaki at (206) 689-4946 or e-mail at moriwakic@soundtransit.org/. 

  • Segment A - Northgate to University District
    Route A1 Roosevelt District tunnel 

    Route A2 Elevated near I-5 in the Roosevelt District 
     

  • Segment B - University District to Westlake Station
    Route B1 First Hill/Capitol Hill tunnel 

    Route B2 Seattle Center/south Lake Union 
     

  • Segment C - Westlake station to South McClellan Street
    Route C1 E3 busway (between 4th and 5th Ave S )/Beacon Hill tunnel 

    Route C2.3 I-90 roadway/Rainier Ave surface and elevated 

    Route C2.4 I-90 roadway/Rainier Ave tunnel 
     

  • Segment D - South McClellan Street to Boeing Access Road
    Route D1.1 MLK Jr. Way S. to Boeing Access Road surface level 

    Route D1.2.1 MLK Jr. Way S. to Boeing Access Road elevated and surface level 

    Route D3.3.1 West of Rainier Ave S. to Columbia City to MLK Jr. Way S. 

    Route D3.3.2 Columbia City to MLK Jr. Way S. underground.
     

  • Segment E - Tukwila
    Route E.1.1 Pacific Highway S. (SR99) surface level 

    Route E.1.2 Pacific Highway S. (SR99) elevated 

    Route E2 Interurban Ave. S. 

    Route E3 MLK Jr. Way S. 
     

  • Segment F - SeaTac
    Route F1 International Boulevard 

    Route F2 West of Washington Memorial Park, City Center, 28th/24th Ave S. 

    Route F3 West side of international Boulevard, airport terminal, 28th/24th Ave S.

Sound Transit is on track to implement a three-county region-wide transit system plan known as Sound Move. Approved by voters in 1996, Sound Move will be a seamless blend of three transportation systems: Sounder commuter rail, running 81 miles from Everett to Tacoma/Lakewood; Link light rail, a 24-mile all-electric system connecting the cities of Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac and a 1.6 mile system connecting downtown Tacoma with the Tacoma Dome commuter station; and Regional Express, a bus transit system that will connect the major metropolitan areas of Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma and Seattle with numerous cities and communities with 20 new, fast, limited-stop bus routes.


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