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Open house and environmental assessment/design public hearing for new Federal Way transit center, parking structure, and HOV direct access ramp project

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 A  new transit center in downtown Federal Way with direct access ramps to the I-5 center high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes will be the topic of an open house and Environmental Assessment/design hearing on Tuesday, October 30. The open house/hearing will take place from 1 p.m. - 8 p.m. at SeaTac Mall, between Mervyn's & Gottschalks, 1928 South SeaTac Mall, Federal Way.

The proposed Federal Way Transit Center and parking structure at S 317th and 23rd Ave S and the direct access ramps at S 317th Street are targeted to open by 2005. The project will offer commuters improved passenger waiting areas, more parking, and faster, more dependable transit service thanks to direct access ramps for buses, vanpool and carpools to the I-5 HOV lanes, thus bypassing congestion at the I-5 and S 320th Street intersection.

The proposed sites for these new facilities were chosen after a lengthy process that considered 38 different locations. The transit center will include bus bays, a transit boarding island, a parking garage with up to 1,200 stalls, pedestrian connections, and space for possible future transit oriented development.

Hosted by Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation, in partnership with the City of Federal Way, the City of Kent, and King County Metro and Pierce Transit, the open house and environmental assessment/design hearing will give people an opportunity to learn about the project and comment on its design and the Environmental Assessment prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Comments for the record may be given to a court reporter at the event or in writing. For people who can't attend, written comments can be sent to Sound Transit, Project Manager Vicki Youngs, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA, 98104. To be included in the public record, written comments need to be submitted to Sound Transit by November 12, 2001.

This project is one of 45 capital projects being built by Regional Express, including other transit centers, park-and-ride lots and HOV access projects. A division of Sound Transit, Regional Express has implemented a system of 17 limited-stop ST Express bus routes.

Voter-approved in 1996, Sound Transit is implementing a three-county regional transit system plan known as Sound Move. Sound Move is an integrated transportation system that includes Sounder commuter rail, Link light rail, ST Express buses and improvements to transit centers, park-and-ride lots and HOV access. More information is available on the Sound Transit web site at www.soundtransit.org or by phone at (800) 201-4900 (TTY/TTD: 1-888-713-6030).


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