Sound Transit identifies preferred alternatives for Tacoma Dome Line

Sound Transit's board earlier this week identified four preferred and other alternatives to study as part of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) of the Tacoma Dome Link Extension project, which will extend light-rail nearly 10 miles between Federal Way and Tacoma, Washington.

The preferred alternatives were chosen after 18 months of public engagement with community organizations, agency partners, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and local officials, Sound Transit officials said in a press release. 

The project calls for construction of four elevated light-rail stations in south Federal Way, Fife, east Tacoma and the Tacoma Dome.

The preferred alternative for the Tacoma Dome Station is near East 25th Street and west of G Street, which would be connected to the East Tacoma Station by a guideway. 

The East Tacoma station would be built in near East 26th Street or East 27th Street, near Portland Avenue and north of Interstate 5. Fife Station would be located north of 15th Street, while the South Federal Way Station would be built along Enchanted Parkway near South 352nd Street near I-5, according to the published board motions.

Sound Transit is coordinating with the Federal Transit Administration to prepare the draft EIS, which will be followed by a public and agency comment period in late 2020. By 2022, the board is expected to complete the complete the final EIS.

The agency is working toward a 2025 groundbreaking, with service to the Tacoma Dome Link slated for 2030.