Final EIS on central Link light rail to be available on October 29

The final Environmental Impact Statement on the central Link light rail line between SeaTac and North Seattle will be available to the public on Friday, Oct. 29. The document, being jointly published by Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration, completes the environmental compliance process for the project under both the State and National Environmental Policy Acts (SEPA and NEPA).

Copies of the final EIS will be available for public review at Sound Transit offices and at public libraries throughout the region the following week. (Please note: As of Nov. 1, Sound Transit will be in its new offices at Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle) ). The final EIS will be mailed to those who commented on the draft EIS. For information on how to obtain a copy the final EIS, the executive summary, and other related documents please call Sound Transit at 206-398-5000.

The final EIS responds to comments and concerns expressed through public comment following the release of a draft Environmental Impact Statement in December of last year. New information that has become available through preliminary engineering work on the system and the environmental review process has already been used to define new options and mitigate potential impacts for the locally preferred alternative route defined last February by the Sound Transit Board. In August, the agency issued an environmental assessment that explored the impacts of new options in the University District, on Capitol Hill and for siting a maintenance facility in the Duwamish Industrial area.

At its regular meeting on November 18, the Sound Transit Board is scheduled to make its final decision on the route and station locations for the 21-mile Central Link system.

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