West Seattle and Ballard

Link Extensions
Initial assessment results

JuNO | 10/7/2019
 System expansion
Sound Transit’s system expansion means
every few years new light rail, bus rapid
transit and commuter rail stations open
throughout the region, providing fast,
reliable alternatives to congested roads

soundtransit.org/system

32
 ST3 Representative Project

• Identifies mode, corridor, number of

stations, general station locations
• Informs cost, schedule, operating
needs

33
 West Seattle extension project timeline
WE ARE HERE

PLANNING DESIGN CONSTRUCTION START OF

SERVICE
2017–2022 2022–2025 2025–2030
2016 Final route design Groundbreaking
2030
Final station designs Construction updates and
mitigation
Procure and
commission station Safety education
and public art
Testing and preoperations
Obtain land use and
Environmental Review construction permits
Draft Environmental Property acquisition/
Impact Statement relocation
Final Environmental
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Impact Statement
ST Board selects project
to be built
Federal Record of Decision

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
4
 External engagement overview
During Alternatives Development Phase: Jan 2018 – April 2019
comments and
5,600+ questions 189 community briefings

25 email updates 14 Stakeholder Advisory Group meetings

fairs, festivals, tabling

26 events 7 Elected Leadership Group meetings
open houses, forums,
17 workshops 3 online open houses
5
 May 23rd Board Action
Identified Draft EIS alternatives:
• Preferred Alternatives
• Preferred Alternatives with
Third Party Funding
• Other Draft EIS alternatives

Board also requested initial assessment

of potential additional alternatives
suggested during EIS scoping period

36
 20th Ave Tunnel Initial assessment
Ballard
alternatives
 Yancy/Andover Elevated
 Pigeon Point Tunnel
• SODO Elevated
• 20th Ave Tunnel Ballard

Yancy/Andover SODO
Elevated Elevated

Pigeon Point
Tunnel

47
Draft EIS and Initial Assessment alternatives:
West Seattle/Duwamish

Preferred alternatives

Preferred alternatives with Third

Party funding

Other DEIS alternatives

Initial assessment alternatives N

8
 Initial assessment timeline
Sound Transit Board
Sept. 12 Initial Assessment evaluation results and next steps
System Expansion Committee

Evaluation Information Online

Sept. 13 – Oct. 4 Initial Assessment evaluation results and next steps
Comment form / Community briefings

Sound Transit Board

Sept. 26 Initial Assessment evaluation results and next steps
Full Board

Sound Transit Board Initial Assessments – potential action

Oct. 10
System Expansion Committee Establish whether further study in DEIS is appropriate

Sound Transit Board Initial Assessments – potential action

Oct. 24
Full Board Establish whether further study in DEIS is appropriate

9
Initial assessment
results
 Initial assessment alternatives

Yancy/Andover
Elevated

20th Ave Tunnel

Ballard
SODO
Elevated

Pigeon
Point
Tunnel
N
11
 Key considerations: Yancy/Andover Elevated
Less accessible Delridge
Increases potential station location
business and
freight effects

Additional curves on
high guideway with
steep grades

Lessens potential residential

effects overall, but increases
along Avalon Way

Similar comparative
estimate as ST3
Avoids Golf Course Representative Project N
12
 Key considerations: Pigeon Point Tunnel
Avoids proximity to West
Seattle Bridge and BNSF
Fewer potential
business and freight
effects
Tunnel lessens
visual effects
More accessible station
due to south location
and lower height
13 * Compared to ST3 Representative Project
More direct route and
railroad bridge avoids steep grades
Less area affected in Duwamish
Greenbelt, but bisects habitat area;
closer to known archaeological site
Requires 3rd Party funding
(+ $900 M*)
Similar potential
Includes two tunnels:
residential effects,
West Seattle Junction Tunnel (+ $700 M*)
but at different
locations
and Pigeon Point Tunnel (+ $200 M*) N
Draft EIS and Initial Assessment alternatives:
West Seattle/Duwamish

Preferred alternatives

Preferred alternatives with Third

Party funding

Other DEIS alternatives

Initial assessment alternatives N

14
Environmental review
 West Seattle extension project timeline
WE ARE HERE

PLANNING DESIGN CONSTRUCTION START OF

SERVICE
2017–2022 2022–2025 2025–2030
2016 Final route design Groundbreaking
2030
Final station designs Construction updates and
mitigation
Procure and
commission station Safety education
and public art
Testing and preoperations
Obtain land use and
Environmental Review construction permits
Draft Environmental Property acquisition/
Impact Statement relocation
Final Environmental
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Impact Statement
ST Board selects project
to be built
Federal Record of Decision

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
16
 What is an Environmental Impact
Statement?
• Purpose:
• Assist agencies decision-making, decisions made with understanding of
environmental consequences

• Starts with scoping

• Evaluates reasonable range of alternatives
• Identifies potential impacts
• Identifies potential mitigation
17
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

18
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

• Ridership
• Transit
• Regional and local traffic
• Non-motorized facilities and modes
• Freight movement
• Marine navigation
• Aviation
• Construction traffic

19
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

• Ridership
• Transit
• Regional and local traffic
• Non-motorized facilities and modes
• Freight movement
• Marine navigation • Air quality and greenhouse
• Aviation gas emissions
• Construction traffic • Ecosystems and fish and
wildlife habitat
• Water resources
• Geology and soils

20
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
• Ridership
• Transit
• Regional and local traffic
• Non-motorized facilities and modes
• Freight movement
• Marine navigation
• Aviation
• Construction traffic
• Noise and vibration
• Economic effects
• Visual resources
• Parks resources
• Land use
• Acquisitions, displacements
and relocations
• Energy use
• Hazardous materials
• Public services and utilities
• Impacts on low income and
• Air quality and greenhouse
minority populations
gas emissions
• Cultural, historic and
• Ecosystems and fish and
archaeological resources
wildlife habitat
• Construction impacts
• Water resources
• Geology and soils
21
 Environmental review
WE ARE HERE 2019 2020 2021
Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1

EIS kickoff………………….

Conceptual Engineering ………

Develop DEIS …………………..

Station planning activities ……………

ST Board confirms
or modifies
Publish DEIS and public Preferred Alternative
comment period ………………….………………….………………….…………….

Schedule risk if
22 alternatives added
 West Seattle extension project timeline
WE ARE HERE

PLANNING DESIGN CONSTRUCTION START OF

SERVICE
2017–2022 2022–2025 2025–2030
2016 Final route design Groundbreaking
2030
Final station designs Construction updates and
mitigation
Procure and
commission station Safety education
and public art
Testing and preoperations
Obtain land use and
Environmental Review construction permits

Draft Environmental Property acquisition/

Impact Statement relocation
Final Environmental
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Impact Statement
ST Board selects project
to be built
Federal Record of Decision

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
23
 What is a Record of Decision?

• Issued by Federal Transit Administration

• Concludes environmental review process
• Identifies project to be built
• Identifies mitigation commitments

24
Schedule and
next steps
 Initial assessment timeline
Sound Transit Board
Sept. 12 Initial Assessment evaluation results and next steps
System Expansion Committee

Evaluation Information Online

Sept. 13 – Oct. 4 Initial Assessment evaluation results and next steps
Comment form / Community briefings

Sound Transit Board

Sept. 26 Initial Assessment evaluation results and next steps
Full Board

Sound Transit Board Initial Assessments – potential action

Oct. 10
System Expansion Committee Establish whether further study in DEIS is appropriate

Sound Transit Board Initial Assessments – potential action

Oct. 24
Full Board Establish whether further study in DEIS is appropriate

26
 Community engagement and collaboration

27
 Thank you.

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