An additional environmental review is underway for the Operations and Maintenance Facility South.
Sound Transit published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in 2021, under the State Environmental Policy Act. Later this year, we plan on releasing a combined Draft EIS, under the National Environmental Policy Act and Supplemental Draft EIS under the State Environmental Policy Act. This additional review is to support federal approvals, potential federal funding, and assess project design changes. After the publication of a Draft EIS , there will be a public comment period. A Final EIS is then anticipated to be published in 2024.
All three alternatives will be studied in the upcoming document. The South 336th Street alternative in Federal Way remains the preferred alternative. The Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built after publication of the Final EIS.
Sound Transit is still working to confirm the project schedule because of these changes. We are exploring opportunities to help us stay close to our planned opening date of 2029, but the date for opening may be as late as 2032. We will share an updated project schedule when we have more certainty.
- There will be a public comment period for the NEPA Draft / SEPA Supplemental Draft EIS.
- All public comments that were provided on the Draft EIS in 2021 are still valid and do not need to be resubmitted. If you have new and different information, we welcome those comments.
- We will respond to all substantive comments from both comment periods in the Final EIS.
- After the Final EIS is published, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built.
Learn about what has changed since the SEPA Draft EIS was published in 2021 by reading our full project update online. Changes include adding a test track, a section of track designated for testing light rail vehicles prior to their starting service, and other site layout changes to the preferred alternative, South 336th Street.
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