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Sound Transit continues to check items off its Central Link "to do" list.



Federal Transit Administration Aug. 20 gave the agency permission to complete Final Design of the revised segments of the light-rail project’s alignment — a full-funding grant agreement prerequisite — and released $50 million in federal funds for the initial segment’s construction.



"This is a crystal clear signal from the federal government that Sound Transit is on track for building Central Link light rail," said Board Chair Ron Sims in a prepared statement.



The appropriation originally was approved for fiscal-year 2001, but U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth Mead recommended it be held pending questions regarding the project’s viability, cost estimate overruns and faltering local support.



The agency’s Citizen Oversight Panel recently released its mid-2002 report and established that the agency "regained the momentum it lost in the winter of 2000 and is moving forward on all fronts."



In July, agency officials submitted to FTA a draft application for a $500 million grant, which would cover about a quarter of the initial segment’s $2.07 billion price tag. Local revenues would make up the remainder.



During the next several weeks, Sound Transit officials plan to work with the local FTA office to refine the grant application, after which U.S. DOT and Congress will review the project.



Agency officials expect to have a signed agreement by year end.