Opening in 2024, the route to Federal Way will offer fast, frequent, and reliable service between South King County and Sea-Tac Airport, downtown Seattle, the University of Washington, Northgate, Lynnwood, and Bellevue.
The two contracts represent a combination of eight cab cars and 20 coaches and include options for 33 additional railcars.
Sound Transit contractor crews have placed the first of two steel truss sections of a pedestrian bridge over SR 520 in Redmond between 148th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 40th Street to connect the future Overlake Village Station to the neighborhoods and businesses west of SR 520.
Service on Link will also increase at the same time, with trains running every 20 minutes during the day until after the p.m. peak.
The return follows the conclusion of Connect 2020, an 11-week period of major service impacts while construction crews connected the existing system in downtown Seattle to East Link.
The project will serve a dense suburban corridor where the existing roadway network is constrained and travel options are limited to two congested roadways.
The agency will strike a $790 million FFGA, along with a $629 million TIFIA loan to complete the Federal Way line light rail extension.
Mary Cummings will work alongside Deputy CEO and Chief System Officer Kimberly Farley.
The segment’s opening will follow the 2023 opening of light rail between Downtown Seattle and Redmond’s Overlake area.
The $2.9 billion project budget includes up to $1.17 billion from a Full Funding Grant Agreement executed by the FTA.