2003 Accomplishments

Sounder Commuter Rail Service

Everett-Seattle

  • An agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is reached, allowing regular service between Everett, Edmonds and Seattle to begin.
  • Special service to Seattle Seahawks game begins

Tacoma-Seattle

  • The permanent station at Freighthouse Square (Tacoma Dome Station) and the approximately one-mile connection between the BNSF mainline tracks and the new station is completed.
  • Phase 1 of the BNSF track and signal improvements are substantially completed.
  • Agreements with Kent and Auburn to complete station and surrounding roadway construction are finalized.

Lakewood-Tacoma

  • A preliminary agreement with BNSF is signed.
  • Right-of-way acquisition for a short segment of new track and totally new right-of-way between Freighthouse Square and the BNSF Lakeview Subdivision line begins.

Sounder Operations

  • Sounder carries its two-millionth rider.
  • All remaining Sounder vehicles and negotiated lease agreements are delivered.
  • Special services to selected Mariner and Seahawk weekend games are provided.

Regional Express

Capital projects

  • DuPont Park-and-Ride Project is completed and open for service. The project is completed under budget.
  • Lynnwood Transit Center opens.
  • The SE 8th segment of the Bellevue Direct Access Project is completed.
  • The rider services building for the Overlake Transit Center is completed.
  • Phase 2 of the I-90 @ Sunset Interchange Project is completed.
  • Construction of the Sound Transit-funded phases of the SR-99 Transit Lanes @ Lynnwood Project is completed.

ST Express Regional Bus Service

  • ST Express Bus Service surpasses 20 million riders.
  • Weekday ridership is more than 26,000 boardings a day.
  • Significant service improvements are implemented in the Seattle-Everett and Bellevue-South King County corridors.

Bus Vehicles

  • Sound Transit takes delivery of a 40-foot diesel/electric hybrid bus from New Flyer of America.
  • Sound Transit joins with King County Metro in issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for 60-foot diesel/electric buses to replace the fleet operating in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel.

Link Light Rail Service

  • Tacoma Link light rail trains begin running in August. Early ridership numbers exceed projections.
  • Sound Transit is awarded its $500 million Full Funding Grant Agreement with the federal government.
  • Progress continues on the design of various contract packages for the Central Link light rail Initial Segment.
  • Conceptual engineering is completed on the alternatives and the North Link Draft Supplemental EIS is published.
  • Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle sign an agreement in principle for extending the Sound Transit alignment to Sea-Tac Airport.
  • The demolition and clean-up contract for the Central Link Operations and Maintenance Facility is completed ahead of schedule and under budget.
  • Widening the busway and installing new transmission poles is completed ahead of schedule.

Agency-wide

  • The public art program completes the following projects: ive Tacoma Link Stations, DuPont Park-and-Ride lot, Lynnwood Transit Center, Sunset Interchange, and Beacon Hill test shaft sound walls.
  • Three new Regional Express art projects begin: Kirkland Direct Access; Federal Way @ 317th; and Sammamish Park and Ride.
  • Three major Mobility Initiative Program (MIP) projects are completed.
  • Web-based and print versions of the Regional Accessible Transit Guide are published.
  • The Talking Signs infrared Demonstration Project is completed.
  • The Sound Transit Board approves participating in the Smart Card program, joining other transit agencies throughout Central Puget Sound in developing a regional and seamless technology.