Planning for access at future stations
Sound Transit’s goal is to create seamless connections between our new light rail stations at South Federal Way, Fife, Portland Avenue and Tacoma Dome and their surrounding neighborhoods.
Last fall we asked the public to review and comment on concepts for each of the future stations in the Tacoma Dome Link Extension project. We gathered input on preliminary station designs and feedback on potential projects to improve station access on foot, bicycle or wheelchair (i.e., non-motorized access).
Check out the summary on our project website to see what we heard, and thanks for your input!
Now we’re incorporating that feedback to refine our list of potential non-motorized access projects, then we’ll evaluate and prioritize projects at each station. Our evaluation will result in a draft project list that we’ll include in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public comment.
Stay tuned for the Draft EIS next year
COVID-19 has affected both Sound Transit’s finances and our ability to advance environmental review, internally and with our planning partners. We’ve been working to confirm and refine the program requirements, station designs and preferred routes to meet the regional light rail system’s long-term needs. The project team has also been advancing designs so we can adequately study route and station designs in the Draft EIS.
We now expect to publish the Tacoma Dome Link Extension Draft EIS in the first half of 2022. Following the formal public review and comment period, the Board will then identify a “preferred route” and “preferred station” alternatives. We’ll continue studying these preferred alternatives, as well as other alternatives, in the Final EIS. After we publish the Final EIS, the Board will select the project to be built.
In the meantime, you can view all current project documents, including maps of potential station designs and routes, on the project website. To stay updated on our progress, subscribe to e-mail updates or contact the project team at tdlink@soundtransit.org or 206-398-5453.
What is the Tacoma Dome Link Extension?
Sound Transit’s light rail extension from Federal Way to Tacoma will create fast, congestion-free connections to residential and job centers in the South Sound and beyond, including:
- South Federal Way to Tacoma in 20 minutes
- Fife to Tacoma in six minutes
- Tacoma to Sea-Tac Airport in 35 minutes
The TDLE project will add almost 10 miles of mostly elevated tracks to the regional light rail system and four new stations, at South Federal Way, Fife, Portland Avenue, and the Tacoma Dome.
These stations will also offer riders efficient connections to other transit options like Sounder, Tacoma Link, ST Express, King County Metro, Pierce Transit, Intercity Transit and Amtrak.
Stations will feature pick-up and drop-off zones and provide access for those traveling by foot, bike, paratransit and other modes. The future South Federal Way and Fife stations will include approximately 500 parking spaces each.
The recession and realignment
The COVID-19 recession and rising real estate and construction costs may affect some transit expansion projects and timelines. Learn more about Sound Transit’s response by clicking the button below.