WELCOME
Sound Transit is expanding access to Auburn Station for people who walk, drive, bike and take transit. The project includes construction of a new garage at 1st Street Northwest and A Street Northwest and improvements to pedestrian, bicycle and bus connections to the station to provide better options for Sounder and bus riders.
Today, you can learn about project updates, what you can expect during construction, and provide general input.
What has happened on the project so far?
Spring–fall 2017: Sound Transit worked closely with the City of Auburn to collect community feedback which helped identify where to put a new parking garage and make other improvements.
November 2017: Sound Transit Board identified a preferred improvement package, including a garage at 1st Street Northwest and A Street Northwest with up to 535 spaces for commuters.
2018-2020: Conceptual design and environmental review.
January 2020: State Environmental Policy Act Determination of Nonsignifance issued.
April 2020: Update to the public.
Spring 2020: Sound Transit Board selects project to build.
April 2020 ABOUT AUBURN STATION
Auburn Station, which opened in 2000, has become a transit hub for local residents and workers.
13 roundtrip Sounder trains stop here each weekday, plus special event service; over 1,700 people board Sounder trains from Auburn Station each weekday. • Adult fares are between $3.25 and $5.75 depending on how far you travel. • Day passes are twice the one-way fare and are valid for the date and stations printed on the ticket. • Tickets must be purchased prior to boarding. Pay with:
Ticket - Buy a Sounder ticket from the ticket machine with cash, Visa or MasterCard. Ticket machines are located all Sounder stations.
ORCA card - Tap ORCA before boarding the train and after you get off the train. Using an ORCA card lets you apply the full value of the fare for the first leg of a trip towards a transfer to another service - from Community Transit to King County Metro, for example. Transfer value expires two hours after tapping the card.
Transit Go Ticket - download in the app store, set-up your account and buy tickets ahead of time. Activate your purchased tickets prior to boarding the train and show your screen to the fare enforcement officer if asked.
9 bus routes serving neighborhoods including Sumner, Bellevue and Downtown Seattle stop here.
The current garage has 633 parking spaces for commuters. • Carpool and solo-driver permits at Auburn Station provide access to reserved parking areas on weekdays from 4-8 a.m.
April 2020 PROJECT OVERVIEW
Sound Transit is planning a new garage and other improvements so more people can conveniently access the Sounder train and bus service at Auburn Station.
• In November 2017, the Sound Transit Board Site for identified the site at First Street Northwest proposed Auburn parking Medical and A Street Northwest as the preferred site garage Center for a new parking garage with up to 535 spaces for commuters. C St NW 1st St NW B St NW • Walking, bicycling and bus transit are City Hall A St NW
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We are planning improvements at the Walk and bike W Main St intersection of W Main Street and B Street improvements NW, as well as new bike lockers at the station and new bus shelters in the area. • Sound Transit is also making a contribution Auburn Station to the City of Auburn’s “A Street Loop 1st St SW Project,” which will create a one-way
eastbound vehicular connection and a non- Pedestrian Sky Bridge
motorized connection between A Street A St SW Existing Existing Surface Parking S Division St SW and southbound A Street SE. This Parking Garage C St SW project will improve access to and from the 2nd St SW Bus station and help mitigate increases in traffic Loop associated with new garage. Representative concept, subject to change
April 2020
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Improvements include: • Extending the curb at the north end • Adding a bicycle left-turn pocket on of the platform where it meets Main westbound W Main Street to improve Street, to reduce vehicle speeds and bicycle access to the station. improve pedestrian safety. • Adding flashing lights at Main Street to • Restriping crosswalks at the south and assist pedestrian crossing, along with east ends of the intersection. warning plates for persons with disabilities.
Sound Transit will make a contribution to the City of Auburn, which will construct these improvements through its F Street SE Non-Motorized Improvements project. Work is expected to start this year. April 2020
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April 2020 DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING
This project will be delivered through a design-build method of contracting. Rather than two separate contracts for final design and construction, a single contractor takes the project through both phases. This practice helps to streamline the development and completion of the project.
Design-build also means the project design will not be finalized until after a contractor is hired. Sound Transit provides a list of requirements when advertising the contract, and firms can come up with creative ways to meet requirements, including modified design elements.
Public input will play a role in identifying the “look and feel” of the garage, and the resulting community priorities will be included in project requirements.
After a contractor is selected, updated designs will be shared with the public. Some stages of construction can begin while the design process is still underway.
April 2020 HOW WILL THE GARAGE FIT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD?
The garage will have up to six levels and be up to 58 feet tall. The images below show how it will fit in with the neighborhood, which includes a wide variety of building types and scales. Design elements will include architectural screening and landscaping, consistent with the City of Auburn’s requirements and public input. Stay tuned for an opportunity to provide input on the visual design later this year.
A Street Northwest (looking south)
Existing view Conceptual view
April 2020 WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION?
Construction activities are expected to start in early 2022, and could last up to two-and-a-half years. Neighbors and others in the vicinity could feel temporary impacts during this period, such as noise and vibration, and changes in traffic.
Potential noise and vibration impacts
Construction is expected to take place during the day, on weekdays. Pile driving is one potential construction method for laying the garage foundation. Up to 300 piles are expected to be required, with pile driving anticipated to occur over 40 work days (approximately two months). • Residents and outdoor areas up to about 500 feet from the site could be exposed to high noise levels (above 90 decibels). For comparison, a subway platform is about 95 decibels, and an MP3 player at maximum volume is about 105 decibels.
We have identified the following mitigation measures to reduce potential impacts from construction:
Noise – We will prepare a noise and vibration control plan, which may include tactics such as: • Locating stationary equipment as far as possible from noise-sensitive land uses • Vehicles using broadband back-up alarms instead of tonal alarms • Limiting vehicle idling Outreach – We will create an outreach plan so that community members can stay informed. Traffic – We will prepare a traffic maintenance plan with measures to minimize potential impacts from increased construction-related vehicles.
April 2020 NEXT STEPS
What comes next
In spring 2020, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built. Then we will progress into selecting a contractor, acquiring property, advancing design and permitting. • Sound Transit will collect community input on the visual design of the garage this spring. • Construction is expected to begin in early 2022. The garage and other access improvements are expected to open in 2024.
WE ARE HERE P ANNIN ESI N C NST CTI N PEN T P B IC 2017–2020 2020–2024 2024
• Nov 2017: Sound Transit Board identified • Hire a firm to design and build the project preferred improvement package • Acquire property and obtain permits • 2018/2019: Conceptual engineering and environmental review • Complete parking garage design • Fall 2019: Public comment • Groundbreaking and construction updates • Early 2020: Sound Transit Board selects project to build
Why design-build?
By integrating the design and construction of the garage and other access projects, Sound Transit will use best practices to streamline the project timeline and meet budget goals. With a design-build approach, some stages of construction can begin while the design process is still underway. Sound Transit looks forward to continued community engagement during design and construction.
Third Street NE and Auburn Avenue Improvements
Last year Sound Transit awarded the City of Auburn $1.6M to create a new crosswalk and left turn lane to improve pedestrian safety and transit/vehicle access to Auburn Station.
Stay engaged
Sign up to receive project emails: soundtransit.org/subscribe Learn more about the project: soundtransit.org/auburn-access-improvements Contact Community Outreach Specialist Melanie Mayock 206-689-4877 or [email protected].
April 2020 WHO IS SOUND TRANSIT?
We plan, build and operate regional transit systems and services to improve mobility in urban areas of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
Sounder commuter rail
Our Sounder trains travel between Lakewood and Seattle (making stops in South Tacoma, Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn and Tukwila) and between Everett and Seattle (making stops in Mukilteo and Edmonds). Sounder regularly runs weekday mornings and afternoons with weekend service for special events.
ST Express bus
ST Express bus routes serve urban centers in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties with fast service between major cities and job centers. ST Express service offers easy transfers to train service and local buses, and operates seven days a week for many routes.
Link light rail
Currently, Link light rail runs from Angle Lake and Sea-Tac Airport through downtown Seattle and to the University of Washington. Construction is underway to extend service to Northgate in 2021, to Bellevue and east King County in 2023. By 2024, service will further extend to Federal Way, Lynnwood and downtown Redmond. Link light rail runs seven days a week with trains running every 6, 10 or 15 minutes depending on the time of day.
Tacoma Link
The existing 1.6-mile light rail line currently serves six stations between the Theater District and the Tacoma Dome. Trains run every 12 minutes and provide nearly a million rides per year. Sound Transit is extending this route north to the Hilltop District, adding six stations. This extension is targeted to open for service in 2022. Tacoma Link will further extend to Tacoma Community College in 2039.
Sound Transit Board Sound Transit is governed by an 18-member board made up of local elected officials and the Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation. The board establishes policies and gives direction and oversight.
Funding The system plan is paid for with a combination of voter-approved local taxes, federal grants, farebox revenues, borrowed funds and interest revenues.
April 2020 SYSTEM EXPANSION
Sound Transit is:
Building a 116-mile network extending regional light rail from Tacoma to Everett and from densely developed Seattle neighborhoods to Redmond and Issaquah. Extending Tacoma Link. Establishing Bus Rapid Transit to the north, east and south of Lake Washington. Expanding Sounder South line capacity and service, adding two new stations. Improving access and expanding parking at Sounder stations.
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April 2020 OTHER SOUND TRANSIT PROJECTS IN THE AUBURN AREA
Sounder trains have provided reliable and traffic-free service for South King County and Pierce County residents for nearly 20 years. With funding approved by voters in 2016, Sound Transit will expand Sounder South capacity in the coming years so more people can take the train. Improvements will include longer trains (to carry up to 40% more passengers) and potential additional weekday trips, contingent on negotiation with BNSF Railway. We will begin planning improvements this year and will implement them on a rolling basis through 2036.
Federal Way Link Extension The Federal Way Link Extension project will extend light rail from the Angle Lake Station in SeaTac to Federal Way. The 7.8-mile light rail extension will serve three stations along the route in Kent/Des Moines, at South 272nd Street and at the Federal Way Transit Center. All three stations add parking for a total of 3,200 spaces along the route. Construction is set to begin in spring 2020, with service scheduled to begin in 2024.
Tacoma Dome Link Extension The Tacoma Dome Link Extension will extend light rail approximately 9.7 miles from the Federal Way Transit Center to the Tacoma Dome Station area. The extension includes 4 new light rail stations, two new parking garages, and is scheduled to open in 2030. In July 2019, the Sound Transit Board of directors identified a preferred alternative and other alternatives to study in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
April 2020