Update: Lynnwood Link light rail
Friday, June 29, 2012
From Sound Transit
reprinted with permission
Project background
The Lynnwood Link Extension is part of the voter-approved Sound
Transit 2 Plan to extend mass transit throughout the region. Once
completed in 2023, the project will be the northern extension of a light
rail system that will provide more than 50 miles of service to the
north, south and east of Seattle.
Visit the project website to learn about project.
North Corridor Transit Project - now Lynnwood Link Extension project!
Why a new name? Early in the planning process, Sound Transit needed a
project name that encompassed several modes of transit considered in
the Alternatives Analysis phase. Now that light rail has been confirmed
as the best transit mode to serve the Interstate 5 corridor between
Northgate and Lynnwood, the new name appropriately includes Link light
rail and the proposed line’s end point.
The project name change follows a recently approved policy for naming
Sound Transit facilities and the Link light rail operating systems.
Route and Station Alternatives for Environmental Review
Sound Transit is moving ahead to study in-depth route and station
options to extend light rail from Northgate to Lynnwood. Following 3
public scoping meetings in October 2011, 10 community drop-in sessions
in March 2012 and additional technical analysis, the Sound Transit Board
identified specific route and station alternatives for light rail along
I-5 to be studied in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft
EIS). The Lynnwood Link Extension is now entering the environmental
review phase of the project and the project team will be preparing the
draft EIS scheduled to be published in mid-2013.
The draft EIS will identify the potential benefits and impacts
associated with building the route and stations at the following
locations along I-5: NE 130th St., NE 145th St., NE 155th St., NE 185th
St., 236th St. SW, 220th St. SW, and the Lynnwood Transit Center. A
total of 13 alternatives are being considered across three segments.
About the Route and Station Alternatives
- At-grade and elevated tracks or a combination of both will be evaluated for each route alternative.
- Each alternative serves the Northgate Transit Center and the Lynnwood Transit Center.
- Each alternative assumes a station that serves the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center area.
- Each alternative assumes a station at NE 185th St. on the east side of I-5.
- Potential station locations also include NE 130th St., NE 145th St., NE 155th St., and 220th St. SW.
What is no longer under consideration?
If you’ve been following the project, you may wonder what routes and
stations were considered but removed from further consideration. After
considering a number of additional stations and route alternatives,
coordinating with cities and transit agencies in the project area, and
talking with members of the public this past year, the following
stations and routes have been removed from further consideration:
- In Seattle: station at NE 125th St.
- In Shoreline: station at NE 175th St.
- In Shoreline: station on the west side of NE 185th St.
- In Shoreline: routes that travel along the west side of I-5
- Alignment: along SR 99 (Aurora Avenue)
- Alignment: along 15th Avenue NE
- Transit mode: bus rapid transit
Next steps
With route and station alternatives identified, the project team will
begin the analysis in order to develop the draft EIS document. This
environmental review complies with state and federal law.
The draft EIS
will examine the potential environmental impacts and benefits of the
project alternatives. Where adverse impacts are identified, the draft
EIS will identify mitigation measures to avoid or minimize the impacts
for each alternative. The draft EIS is anticipated to be published for
public and agency review in mid-2013. You will have the opportunity to
attend public meetings and provide formal comments on the draft EIS
document. Stay tuned for more information as the project progresses.
Lynnwood Link Extension Project schedule
Field observations and testing begins
Over the next several months residents may notice project staff
conducting field observation and testing in neighborhoods along the I-5
corridor for the project. All work will be completed during normal
business hours within the public right-of-way and if access to private
property is necessary, property owners will be contacted ahead of time.
Vehicular access will be maintained at all times and traffic disruption
is not anticipated. Field activities during this period include:
- traffic observation and counts
- natural resource and land use study
- area photography
- noise monitoring
This work is being completed as the project team begins preparing the
draft EIS. Residents with questions about field observation and testing
or the project are encouraged to contact Sound Transit and avoid
approaching field staff with inquiries as they complete their work.
Opportunities to learn more
Thank you to those who stopped by one of the 10 drop-in sessions held
in March 2012 from north Seattle to Lynnwood – we were able to speak
with over 450 people and collect more than 200 comments about stations
and routes. The team received a lot of valuable input, which helped the
Board identify route and station alternatives for further consideration.
We will have project information booths at several events this summer
to continue reaching out to nearby communities and share the latest
details about the project. Stop by to learn more and ask questions.
- Edmonds Summer Market – July 14
- Shoreline Swing Summer’s Eve – July 18
- Tour de Terrace – July 28 & 29
- Celebrate Shoreline – August 18
- Shoreline Farmer’s Market – August 25
- Mountlake Terrace Farmer’s Market – September 7
- Ethnic Elder Resource Fair – September 29
- Community Information Tables in Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace (locations and dates to be determined)
Stay informed about the Lynnwood Link Extension project in a number of ways:
- Visit the project page on our website: www.soundtransit.org/LLE
- Sign up for project updates by email: www.soundtransit.org/subscribe
- Email the project: lynnwoodlink@soundtransit.org
Set up a time to learn more!
We are always open to visiting a community or neighborhood group.
Call or email Roger Iwata, Sound Transit Community Outreach, at 206-689-4904 or roger.iwata@soundtransit.org.
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