Project updates
Learn about where and when construction is happening throughout the ST district.

Track installation on Division Avenue. N. I St. closes for 3-4 weeks.

Publish Date

Crews will continue installing track on the north side of Division Avenue and will start digging across N. I St. on Monday, July 13. Division Avenue will be open to 
two-way traffic. N. I Street will be closed from N. 2nd Street to Division Avenue (local access to retail only). The track installation work in this area is expected to take about 3-4 weeks. 

This work includes installing underground electrical vaults, removing asphalt, moving rail into place, pouring concrete around the rail, and paving. Crews will continue installing track on Division Avenue, moving west one block at a time. 

After they complete the track installation through I Street, they will move up a block, opening N. I St. and then closing N. J St.

Crews began construction in front of Stadium High School on Monday, July 6. Construction will last up to seven weeks until about late-August. During this time, Stadium Way/N. E Street/N. 1st Street from just north of Division Avenue to Tacoma Avenue will be completely closed. The street will open before school starts in September.

This week, crews will start utility work on MLK Jr. Way near Tacoma General Hospital. MLK Jr. Way will be closed in southbound between the Baker driveway and S. 5th St. To access the Baker Center and parking garage, please follow the detours on S. J St and S. L Street. To access the Emergency Department, follow MLK Jr. Way north to 5th St. Access to the hospitals, medical centers and emergency department will remain open. 

Crews also will start utility work at S. 8th St. and MLK Jr. Way. Crews continue installing track on the east side Luther King Jr. Way between S. 10th Street and Earnest Brazill Street. As soon as July 20, crews plan to close Earnest Brazill St. east of MLK Jr. Way for a half-block to the alley. 

Crews continue to install track on Stadium Way near I-705, and the I-705 ramps at Stadium Way are closed. On Division Avenue, crews continue the track installation process and utility work near S. J Street.

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 on I-705 ramps, Stadium Way, Commerce Street, Division Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, S. 8th Street,  S. 10th Street, S. 11th Street, Earnest Brazill Street, S. 15th Street, and. 

When

Week of July 13

Where

  • Stadium Way/N. E St./N. 1st St. from north of Division Avenue to Tacoma Avenue – street closure. Crews began construction in front of Stadium High School on Monday, July 6. Construction will last up until late-August. During this time, Stadium Way/N. E Street/N. 1st Street from just north of Division Avenue to Tacoma Avenue will be completely closed. Residents will be able to access parking at condos and apartments on Stadium Way. Parking will not be available on the street. The street will open before school starts in September. 

    To access the Stadium District from I-705, please exit I-705 from the City Center or S. 21st St/S.R. 509 exits. Otherwise, the detour from I-705 will be Schuster Parkway to McCarver Street in Old Town. Detour routes to and from downtown include Tacoma Ave., Broadway and St. Helens.
  • I-705 ramps at Stadium Way – ramps closure. The I-705 on-ramp and off-ramp are closed at Stadium Way for track installation. This work includes installing underground electrical vaults, removing asphalt, moving rail into place, pouring concrete around the rail, and paving. Please exit I-705 at an earlier exit, such as the City Center or S. 21st St/S.R. 509 exits. Otherwise, the detour is Schuster Parkway to McCarver Street in Old Town. The I-705 ramps closure will last until about July 24. Please allow extra time to reach your destination.
  • Stadium Way from S. 4th Street to I-705 – street closure; use detours. Stadium Way is closed to thru-traffic from S. 4th Street to the I-705 as crews install track on Stadium Way near I-705. Lanes are open for residents to access parking garages on Stadium Way, but there is no access to I-705. Stadium Way is open northbound from S. 4th St. to Tacoma Avenue with turns at S. 4th St. and Division Ave. Please follow detour routes on Tacoma Avenue, St. Helens and Broadway, and consider alternate routes to access downtown and/or I-705. 
  • Commerce Street between S. 7th Street and I-705 – street closure. Commerce Street is closed in both directions between S. 7th Street and I-705, as crews install track on Commerce Street/Stadium Way near I-705. To access Commerce Street between S. 9th St. and S. 7th St., please take the Center City exit, or follow the detour north on Stadium Way to Tacoma Ave., Broadway or St. Helens. Looking ahead, the contractor plans to do potholing on Commerce St. between S. 9th St. and S. 7th St. next week.
  • Division Avenue between Yakima Avenue and J Street – lane restriction. Crews continue the track installation process on Division Avenue, installing vaults and raceways near J Street. The contractor continues stormwater work at Division Ave. and S. J St./N. 2nd St. The contractor will store utility structures near the Tacoma Power substation on N. 2nd St. 
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Baker driveway to S. 5th St – street closure. Crews will continue to install underground utilities on the west side of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from the Baker driveway to 6th Avenue. Starting as soon as July 14, MLK Jr. Way will be closed Southbound between the Baker driveway and S. 5th St. for about a week. The Baker driveway on MLK Jr. Way also will be closed on weekdays. To access the Baker Center and parking garage, please follow S. L St. Access to the hospitals, medical centers and emergency department will remain open.

    To access the Emergency Department, follow MLK Jr. Way north to 5th St. and down the 5th St. hill. To access hospitals and medical centers, follow the detours on S. J Street and S. L Street. Access the Baker Center from S. L St. Access is open to Kaiser Permanente on MLK Jr. Way and on S. 3rd Street.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Way at S. 8th Street – lane closure and street closure. Crews will install stormwater pipes and structures underground on S. 8th St. on either side of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and in the intersection, starting as soon as Monday, July 6. The work in this area is expected to take about three weeks. Martin Luther King Jr. Way will be closed to northbound traffic from S. 9th St. to S. 7th St. In addition, this week, S. 8th St. will be closed east of MLK Jr. Way to the alley. Please follow the detour routes on J St. 
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 9th St. to S. 11th Street – northbound lane closure and intersection closure. Crews will continue installing track on the east side Luther King Jr. Way from S. 10th Street to Earnest Brazill Street. MLK Jr. Way is closed to northbound traffic between S. 9th St. and S. 11th St. In addition, S. 10th St. and S. 11th St. are closed on the east side of MLK Jr. Way to the alleys. Crews plan to close Earnest Brazill St. east of MLK Jr. Way for a half-block to the alley, as soon as July 6. Please follow the detour on S. J St.
  • Martin Luther Way at S. 15th Street – lane restriction. Crews are doing signal and lighting work at S. 15th St. and MLK Jr. Way. After completing signal work in this intersection, they will do signal work at the Earnest Brazill St. and MLK Jr. Way intersection.

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. 
Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension construction alert map