Sound Transit chooses alignment for Federal Way light-rail extension

Sound Transit's board has selected a 7.8-mile alignment for extending light rail to Federal Way, Wash.

The route will travel south from the Angle Lake Station in SeaTac, Wash., and continue along the the west side of Interstate 5.

The board made their selections after receiving feedback from the public on an environmental impact statement released in November 2016, agency officials said in a press release.

Sound Transit now will request a record of decision from the Federal Transit Administration — a step which will allow the agency to begin procurement for a design-build contractor. Construction is slated to start in 2019.

"Identifying a route gives us a clear path forward for bringing light rail to Federal Way by 2024," said Sound Transit board member Peter von Reichbauer.

Meanwhile, the board late last week selected Max J. Kuney Co. to build the Bel-Red/130th Station and guideway for the future East Link light-rail extension.

The $93 million contract includes construction of an at-grade station located between 130th and 132nd avenues in Bellevue, Wash. Construction is slated to begin as early as this quarter, Sound Transit officials said.

The $3.6 billion East Link project will extend light rail 14 miles from downtown Seattle to East King County, Wash.


A map shows the chosen alignment for the Federal Way Link extension.
(Click to view larger.)
Source: Sound Transit