2018 FHWA REGIONAL COMPETITION: PROJECT SPONSOR FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
AGENCY: Sound Transit PROJECT: South Sounder Capacity Expansion
Question #1: Per the discussion at the regional presentations, please provide additional information on the overall system benefits of the track improvements.
Answer #1:
Track improvements (from single track to double track) are planned to be designed and will increase rail capacity of the overall system, allowing more trains to use the corridor (commuter, passenger and freight trains). Improvements could include: • Double track the rail line from Portland Ave Bridge to TR Junction, in Tacoma • Double track the rail line from D ST to 66th St, in Tacoma • Add additional track at King St Station, in Seattle Also, relocating the Kent Station platform features will prevent occasional blockage of nearby streets during boarding/deboarding at Kent Station.
Additional track & signal infrastructure will be determined on a segment by segment basis along the rail corridor between Seattle and Nisqually. Sound Transit will coordinate with BNSF, WSDOT and Amtrak to identify long-term capacity needs.
Question #2: Please clarify any overlap in service and the timing of improvements between this investment and current and future Link Light Rail extensions.
Answer #2: Sounder commuter rail and Link light rail serve different destinations and markets, so there is not an overlap in service. However, Tacoma, Seattle and Everett are “major transfer hubs” and are served by both light rail and commuter rail (as well as express and local buses, Greyhound/Bolt buses and Amtrak trains.) Those major transfer hubs allow transfers from one service to another.
Sounder commuter rail operates over relatively long distances between stations and has only one station in central business districts. Sounder serves fewer stations and operates at higher speeds as compared to light rail.
Sounder and Link have different alignments and serve different locations: • After Tacoma, Sounder generally follows the SR 167 corridor, serving Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent, Tukwila and Seattle. • After Tacoma, Link generally follows the I-5 corridor, serving Fife, Federal Way, Kent/Des Moines, SeaTac and SeaTac Airport, Tukwila and Seattle.
Timing of the Sounder and Link Improvements: • In ST3, the South Sounder Capacity Expansion with extension of platforms for 10-car Sounder trains, is scheduled to open in 2027. The extension of Sounder to JBLM and Dupont is scheduled to open in 2036. • The extension of light rail from Federal Way to Tacoma is scheduled to open in 2030. See maps of existing/future Sound Transit service, showing different alignments of commuter rail and light rail and the timing of when extensions are scheduled to open. SOUND TRANSIT FUTURE SERVICE
Downtown Everett Everett Everett 2036 Link Light Rail SR 526/ Future service: Evergreen Mukilteo Everett–Seattle–West Seattle SW Everett Industrial Center Redmond–Seattle–Mariner South Everett SR 99/Airport Rd Ballard–Seattle–Tacoma 2036 Issaquah–Bellevue–South Kirkland Mariner Tacoma Dome–Tacoma Community College Ash Way In service: Univ. of Washington–Angle Lake West Alderwood Tacoma Dome–Theater District 2024 Lynnwood City Center Sounder Commuter Rail Edmonds 2024 Future service: Canyon Park Mountlake DuPont–Lakewood Terrace In service: Lake Kenmore Bothell 2024 Shoreline North/185th Forest Woodinville North Line (Everett–Seattle) Park South Line (Lakewood–Seattle) Shoreline South/145th Brickyard Bus NE 130th 2031 Future service: 2021 Northgate Kingsgate/Totem Lake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Kirkland In service: NE 85th 2024 Downtown Redmond Ballard 2035 Roosevelt ST Express bus SE Redmond (service re-evaluated annually) Interbay U District 2041 Smith Cove South 2023 Redmond Technology Center University of Kirkland New station or bus facility Seattle Center Washington Overlake Village Bel-Red/130th Added parking South Lake Union Evergreen North Spring District/120th Sammamish Station improvements Denny Capitol Hill Point Wilburton Major transfer hub Seattle Westlake Bellevue Downtown Existing station or bus facility University Street Bellevue Midtown East Main Existing parking Pioneer Square International District/Chinatown South South Provisional light rail station Bellevue Richards Rd & King Street Judkins Mercer Sammamish Stadium 2030 Park Island Eastgate Alaska Mount Junction Beacon Baker Lakemont Issaquah Avalon SODO Hill Highlands Delridge Columbia City 2041 Issaquah S Graham St 2031 NE 44th Othello Westwood Village Rainier Beach 2024 Tukwila/ S Boeing Access Rd International 2031 Blvd 2024 South Renton Burien Tukwila SeaTac/Airport
Angle Lake
Kent/DesMoines Kent
S 272nd
2024 Federal Way
Tacoma Auburn Stadium District S 4th South Old City Hall Federal Way Tacoma General Theater District 6th Avenue Convention Center Tacoma 2039 Hilltop District Union Station Community S 25th College 2022 Pearl Union 2030 Stevens Sprague East Fife AinsworthSt Joseph Tacoma Tacoma Dome South Tacoma Sumner
Puyallup
Lakewood Bonney Lake Towne Center South Hill Lakewood
Tillicum
2036 DuPont Nov. 2017 Future Sound Transit Rail System and PSRC Centers
Central Seattle EVERETT
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
PAINE FIELD / University of BOEING EVERETT Washington BALLARD- INTERBAY
SEATTLE SOUTH LAKE UNION SEATTLE UPTOWN
Capitol Hill SEATTLE FIRST HILL/CAPITOL HILL Westlake University Street SEATTLE Pioneer Square DOWNTOWN LYNNWOOD King Street BOTHELL CANYON PARK International District/ Chinatown
Stadium SODO
Mount Baker Beacon Hill
KIRKLAND Columbia City TOTEM LAKE SEATTLE NORTHGATE
DUWAMISH REDMOND DOWNTOWN SILVERDALE Othello SEATTLE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
REDMOND-OVERLAKE Rainier Beach BELLEVUE NORTH TUKWILA
DUWAMISH
BREMERTON
ISSAQUAH
Tukwila NORTH BURIEN International Blvd TUKWILA RENTON PUGET SOUND INDUSTRIAL CENTER- BREMERTON Tukwila
TUKWILA BURIEN
SeaTac Airport TUKWILA SEATAC Existing Link station SEATAC
Existing Sounder station KENT MIC KENT MIC Angle Lake 2 KENT Miles
FEDERAL WAY Legend AUBURN
Current Link alignment
Future Link extension TACOMA DOWNTOWN Current Sounder alignment PORT OF TACOMA Future Sounder extension UNIVERSITY PLACE Regional Growth Center TACOMA Manufacturing Industrial Center MALL
5 Miles LAKEWOOD PUYALLUP DOWNTOWN
Sources: Sound Transit GIS, PUYALLUP King County, WSDOT, PSRC. SOUTH HILL This map is accompanied by no warranties and is simply a graphic representation.
Map date: 5/10/2018 p a
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