Citizens to help define alternatives for Link light rail environmental review

February 25, 1998

A series of hands-on community workshops is being hosted by Sound Transit the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority to encourage citizen participation in defining alternative routes, station locations and environmental considerations for bringing new electric light rail transit service to the Puget Sound region. The workshops build on the input received from hundreds of area citizens during a public comment period and a series of public meetings held in December on issues and alternatives that should be considered in preparing an environmental impact statement for the central Link light rail system. Those attending the workshops will be encouraged to roll up their sleeves and participate with their neighbors in prioritizing the many suggestions received by Sound Transit for consideration in the EIS process. The central Link light rail line will serve SeaTac, Tukwila, Southeast and downtown Seattle, the University District, and potentially the Roosevelt and Northgate communities. Each workshop will focus on the alternatives suggested for the specific light rail segment:

Wednesday, March 11
Olympic View Elementary,
504 N.E. 95th St., Seattle
Open House 5 6 p.m., Workshop 6 9 p.m.
(Workshop focus: Northgate to N.E. 75th alternatives)

Saturday, March 28
Roosevelt High School,
1410 N.E. 66th St., Seattle
Workshop 9 a.m. 2 p.m.
(Workshop focus: N.E. 75th to N.E. 45th alternatives)

Tuesday, March 31
Pocock Rowing Center
3320 Fuhrman E., Seattle (near the University Bridge)
Open House 5 6 p.m., Workshop 6 9 p.m.
(Workshop focus: Downtown to N.E. 45th alternatives)

Wednesday, April 1
Valley Ridge Community Center
4644 South 188th,, SeaTac (next to Tyee High school)
Open House 4 6 p.m., Workshop 6 9 p.m.
(Workshop focus: SR-518 to S. 200th alternatives)

Saturday, April 4 Rainier Community Center
4600 38th Ave. S., Seattle
Workshop 9 a.m. 2 p.m.
(Workshop focus: McClellan St. to Boeing Access Rd. alternatives)

Wednesday, April 8
Foster High School Commons
4242 S. 144th St., Tukwila
Open house 4 6 p.m., Workshop 6 9 p.m.
(Workshop focus: Boeing Access Rd. to SR-518 alternatives)

Thursday, April 16
Center Park Community Center
2121 26th Ave. S., Seattle
Open House 5 6 p.m., Workshop 6 9 p.m.
(Workshop focus: Westlake Station to McClellan St. alternatives)

The open houses prior to the weeknight workshops are an informal opportunity for people to learn more about the plans for the Link light rail system and about the proposed route and station location alternatives. Participants in the workshop will be asked to work with their neighbors to evaluate the criteria for narrowing the proposed alternatives to be considered in the EIS, and to help apply those criteria to the routes under consideration in each community.

Approved by voters in 1996, Sound Transit is on track to implement a three-county regional transit system plan known as Sound Move. 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 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 other cities and numerous communities with 20 new, fast, limited-stop bus routes.

For more information on Sound Move, please visit the Sound Transit website at www.soundtransit.org/. You may also write or call for more information at Sound Transit, 1100 Second Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98101-2423 (206) 398-5000 .

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