SEATTLE — The Sound Transit board of directors has selected a site in Federal Way, Wash., as the location for its Operations and Maintenance Faciility South, which will service future expansion of the Link light rail system to West Seattle and Tacoma, Wash.
The site at South 336th Street had been identified as the preferred alternative in 2021. Eventually, it will employ more than 600 people, and will feature a test track for 24-hour conditioning and testing of new light rail trainsets, allowing them to enter service more quickly.
“Selecting the OMF South site is a major achievement on our journey from a 35-mile, 39-station light rail system into a 116-mile, 83-station regional network,” System Expansion Committee Chair Claudia Balducci said in a press release.
The facility will be capable of servicing about 144 light rail vehicles. It will include a 1.4-mile connecting track from the Federal Way Link Extension, currently under construction, that will eventually be part of the planned expansion to connect the Seattle and Tacoma light rail lines.
The Tacoma News Tribune reports the project will require the demolition of a $58 million, 2,500-seat Christian Faith church that opened in 2007, one of two locations for the megachurch. Church leaders had been aware of the possible condemnation of the facility, the newspaper reports.
The cost of the maintenance facility and connecting track will be $1.9 billion to $2.2 billion. It is projected to open in 2029.
Seattle is nearing the ranks of Toronto and Melbourne (Australia) with extensive light rail (tram) networks. Other major cities should follow the fine example in transit set by these three great cities.
Based on the one (of three) I’ve ridden, which is Seattle, I’m with you.