Tacoma Link rail repair at Pacific Avenue and E. 21st St occurs during weekend of Dec. 11 at night

On the existing Tacoma Link system, crews will repair rail at Pacific Avenue and E. 21st St. this weekend, Dec. 11 – 13 at night. Work hours are Dec. 11 from 10:30 pm to 8 am, Dec. 12 from 6:30 pm to 8 am, and Dec, 13 from 6:30 pm to 3 am. To reduce impacts to businesses and the travelling public, Sound Transit obtained a noise variance from the City of Tacoma to do this work at night. Link will continue to operate during the day. A lane of traffic will be open in all directions at the Pacific Ave and E. 21st St. intersection.

For the Hilltop Tacoma Link project, crews will continue installing track on the east side of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Division Avenue to S. 5th Street near Kaiser Permanente and Tacoma General. The contractor plans to pull rail into this area on Wed, Dec. 9 at 5 a.m. Access is open to hospitals, medical centers and the emergency department. Please allow extra time to reach your appointment – thank you. 

Crews continue to install track on MLK Jr. Way from S. 17th St. to S. 19th St. and on E. 25th St. near the Operations and Maintenance Facility. The contractor may close the alley west of MLK Jr. Way from S. 15th St. to S. 16th St. to work on the traction power substation on Thursday, Dec. 10. Last week, the contractor opened MLK Jr. Way southbound from 6th Avenue to S. 9th St. Track is installed on the west side of MLK Jr. Way in this area.

COVID-19. The health and safety of all workers on Sound Transit’s construction sites are of utmost importance to us. Our contractors have primary responsibility for their wellbeing while working on our projects.  Sound Transit is actively working with the contractors and construction management teams on all our projects to assure that public health guidelines are being followed. 

What

Construction and traffic restrictions at Martin Luther King Jr. Way, S. 3rd Street, S. 17th Street, S. 18th Street, and E. 25th Street.

When

Week of December 7

Where

• Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Division Avenue to S. 5th Street – northbound lane closure. Crews are installing track on the east side of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Division Avenue to S. 5th Street. The northbound lane of MLK Jr. Way from S. 5th St. to Division Ave. is closed, and S. 3rd St. is closed east of MLK Jr. Way to Kaiser Permanente’s driveway. To access Kaiser Permanente, please follow S. J St. to S. 3rd St. to their parking garage and front entrance. A right-hand only turn is available from Kaiser onto MLK Jr. Way north to Division Ave. To access Tacoma General’s Emergency Department, follow MLK Jr. Way north from 6th Ave., south from Division Ave., or east on 5th St. The detour route is S. J St. Please allow extra time to reach your appointment – thank you. The track installation from Division Ave. to S. 3rd St. is expected to last through late-December. Then, crews will continue the track installation across S. 5th St. to 6th Ave.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 17 St. to S. 19th St. – street closure and intersection closures. Crews are installing track on the east side of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 17th St. to S. 19th St. Crews will excavate, bring rail into place, pour concrete around the rail, and pave. Martin Luther King Jr. Way is closed to northbound traffic from S. 19th St. to S. 17th St., and S. 17th St., and S. 18th St. are closed east of MLK Jr. Way to the alley. Please follow the detour on S. J St. This work is expected to continue in a full street closure through mid-December. 
• East 25th Street from E. G St. to E. J St. – eastbound lane closure and street closure from E. G St. to McKinley Ave. Crews are installing track on E. 25th St. near the Operations and Maintenance Facility, closing E. 25th St. to eastbound traffic between E. G St. and E. J St. The contractor closed E. 25th St. in both directions from E. G St. to McKinley Ave to install an underground electrical vault. This full street closure is planned until Dec. 9. Please follow the detour on Puyallup Avenue. 

More

• Driveway and pedestrian access is maintained, although some sidewalks and crosswalks will be temporarily closed. Pedestrian detours will be in place. 
• Buses will follow detour routes. Visit PierceTransit.org for information.
• Construction noise related to replacing the underground utilities and installing track.
• Large construction equipment or materials may be in the right-of-way.
• Work will generally take place during the daytime hours unless otherwise noted. Daytime hours during the week are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The contractor usually works less hours.
• Businesses are open during construction.
• Plan ahead and allow extra time to reach your destination.
• Due to inclement weather or unforeseen issues, dates and times are subject to change.