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Despite the dark skies Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority’s Link Light Rail project has faced recently, Sounder commuter rail service continues to bask in sunshine.

Sound Transit recently signed an agreement with the city of Tacoma, Wash., allowing the commuter rail agency to operate on one mile of track owned by Tacoma Rail — which would enable the agency to increase daily trips from two to three or four.

Agreement in hand, Sound Transit plans to begin building Tacoma’s permanent station near Freighthouse Square, and invest $1.5 million to improve a mile of adjacent Tacoma Rail track and $8 million to build a new connection between Tacoma Rail and Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s mainline. The agreement also paves the way for Sounder and freight trains to coordinate schedules on Tacoma Rail’s track, and creates a strategy to build a future passenger-only second track.

Sound Transit plans to expand Sounder service to South Tacoma and Lakewood in 2002.