Marking a major milestone for ST3 projects and future Link service in Pierce County and South King County, Seattle’s Sound Transit board selected the South 336th Street site in Federal Way as the future location of the Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) South.

The board had previously identified the site as the preferred alternative in 2021 after publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

 Sound Transit’s OMF South

When complete, the OMF South will store and maintain Link light rail trains for future Link expansion, including service to West Seattle and Tacoma, while providing more than 600 permanent living-wage jobs within the project site.

It will also contain a test track for 24-hour conditioning and testing of new light rail vehicles, allowing them to enter passenger service more quickly.

“With the OMF South site now selected, we look forward to working with our project partners to advance final design, build, and operate a world-class facility to serve the region for generations to come,” said Sound Transit Interim CEO Goran Sparrman.

Further Down the Tracks

When completed, OMF South will service about 144 light rail vehicles for train cleaning and repairs and include a 1.4 mile connecting track from the Federal Way Link Extension to the site. These tracks are expected to be used by the future Tacoma Dome Link Extension that is currently undergoing environmental review.

The project will now advance to final design work and construction. The board has identified a target in-service date of 2029, and actions are being taken to accelerate the current schedule to achieve that date.