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Tacoma Link light rail final Environmental Impact Statement now available

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The final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 1.6-mile Tacoma Link light rail line is now available for review. The document responds to comments received on the draft EIS that was issued in October for planned construction of the light rail line to connect the Tacoma Dome Station area with the University of Washington Tacoma campus, downtown and the theatre district. It also presents concepts for mitigating certain impacts, based on the comments received from the public, such as potentially installing single-track segments in some areas where a double track has been proposed.

Copies of the final EIS are available for review at most public libraries in Pierce County, and through any Sound Transit office, including the Tacoma community office at 1003 Pacific in Tacoma. Copies of the document may also be obtained by calling either Sound Transit's Tacoma office at 253-572-5484 or the Seattle office at 206-398-5000 . The Sound Transit Board is scheduled to select a final route for the Tacoma Link line at its regular meeting on Feb. 11. (The Feb. 11 board meeting will be held at Plymouth Congregational Church at 6th & University in Seattle, beginning at 2:00 p.m.) 

Two public workshops have been scheduled to begin work on designing Tacoma Link's light rail stations: 

Wednesday, Jan. 27, 6 to 8 p.m.

Washington St. History Museum
1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

Wednesday, Feb. 17, 6 to 8 p.m.

Washington State History Museum
1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

Construction on the light rail line, light maintenance facility and five planned light rail stations is scheduled to get underway in about a year, with Tacoma Link service scheduled to begin in 2001.

Sound Transit, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, is also developing Sounder commuter rail service which is scheduled to begin service between Tacoma and Seattle by the end of 1999, with extensions south to Lakewood and north to Everett opening about a year later; Regional Express bus service, which will inaugurate 8 new routes in September; and the Central Link light rail between SeaTac, Tukwila and Seattle which will open in 2006. 


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