Sound Transit to hold additional public hearings in Mukilteo and Ballard on Everett - to - Seattle Sounder commuter rail draft environmental impact statement

Thanks to public demand, Sound Transit - The Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority - will hold additional public hearings in Mukilteo and Everett on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 35-mile Sounder commuter rail line that will connect the cities of Everett, Mukilteo, Edmonds and Seattle. The EIS is a document required by state and federal environmental laws that analyzes the environmental impacts of major projects in communities. 

The public comment period began on June 25th with the release of the draft EIS and the will remain open until August 9th. Once the public comment period is completed, comments on the draft EIS will be considered and addressed in the final EIS that should be ready by this fall. 

Public hearings will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.:

Copies of the draft EIS document are available for review at Sound Transit headquarters and many area public libraries. Maps, detailed descriptions of the station location alternatives, designs for track improvements and other information about Sounder commuter rail may be viewed and downloaded from the Sound Transit Web site at www.soundtransit.org/.

For people who are unable to attend the hearings, written comments may be mailed by Aug. 9 to Barry Hennelly, project manager, Sounder commuter rail north line draft EIS, Sound Transit, 1100 2nd Ave., Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98101.

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 regional transportation systems. Sound Move includes Sounder commuter rail, running 81 miles from Everett to Tacoma/Lakewood; Link light rail consisting of a 21-mile line connecting the cities of SeaTac, Tukwila and Seattle and a 1.6 mile line in Tacoma; and Regional Express featuring the ST Express bus transit system that will connect the major metropolitan areas of Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma and Seattle with numerous cities and communities with at least 17 new, limited-stop bus routes plus numerous new or improved transit centers, park-and-ride lots and high-occupancy vehicle lanes throughout the region. 

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