Sound Transit Board identifies preferred light-rail route and station locations for Tacoma Dome Link Extension

On June 26, the Sound Transit Board identified its preferred light-rail route and station locations for the Tacoma Dome Link Extension, which will extend light-rail service about 10 miles from Federal Way to Tacoma, Wash., and includes four new stations. The project now enters the preliminary engineering and final environmental impact statement phase for further study.  

Sound Transit notes the identification of a preferred alternative indicates the direction the board is currently leaning, and that the board will select the project to build after publication of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), anticipated in 2027. 

The board considered comments from tribes, the public and agencies, as well as analysis in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in its action. Extensive coordination was also undertaken with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, as a large portion of the route and two stations are located on their reservation. The agency notes close coordination with the tribe will continue throughout every phase of the project. 

“This vote marks a major milestone toward establishing light-rail service to all three counties in the Sound Transit district,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “It’s also another step forward in building the regional light-rail spine that voters approved.”  

Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine added, “This action brings us one step closer to delivering our shared vision of a world-class, three-county light-rail system. The Tacoma Dome extension will seamlessly connect Pierce County to SeaTac, Seattle, the Eastside, Lynnwood and, ultimately, Everett. It will transform regional travel so fundamentally that we’ll wonder how we ever did without it.”   

The agency says the board identified the Tacoma Dome Link extension preferred alternative as the following: 

• In South Federal Way: The SR 99-West Alternative with the design refinement to run on the east side of SR 99 in Milton, with a South Federal Way station on the south side of South 352nd St. 
• In Fife: The Fife I-5 Alternative and the Fife Station in the vicinity of 15th St. East and 59th Ave. East. 
• In Tacoma: The Portland Avenue Station and the route and Tacoma Dome station in the “Tacoma Close-to-Sounder” location.