Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administrative have published the Tacoma Dome Link Extension Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). This Draft EIS informs the public, Tribes, agencies and decision makers about the alternatives and potential environmental consequences of building and operating the proposed light rail extension between Federal Way Transit Center and Tacoma Dome area. The major choice for the project is the location of the light rail alignment and stations.
Comments on the Draft EIS are being accepted through February 10, 2025. An electronic copy of the Draft EIS can be accessed at the links below. The Executive Summary and a flash drive including the Draft EIS, appendices, and technical reports are available at no charge. Draft EIS hard copies are available for $25, and hard copies of the separately bound appendices and technical reports are available for $15 each by contacting Dominique Jones at 206-689-4783 or dominique.jones@soundtransit.org. To learn more about the project and how to comment on the Draft EIS, please visit the online open house at soundtransit.org/tdlink-deis.
Comparative cost
The Tacoma Dome Link Extension Draft EIS uses the term “Opinion of Probable Cost” when describing what a reader can best understand as a “comparative cost”. This comparative cost is based on a low level of design and uses a Unit Cost Library assembly methodology for cost estimating. Comparative costs are intended to serve as a basis for comparing design alternatives and options; they are not intended to represent the project budget. At this early phase of project development (10 percent design), representation of costs are for comparative purposes only. Sound Transit has developed the high-level conceptual comparative costs for all alternatives under evaluation in the Tacoma Dome Link Extension Draft EIS. A project baseline budget is typically established at approximately 60 percent design (depending on the delivery method) prior to the start of construction. A more detailed estimate, applying a “bottoms up” cost methodology will be developed in the future.