Sound Transit releases final environmental study for Operations and Maintenance Facility South

Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration today issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Operations and Maintenance Facility South, which will support storing and maintenance of Link light rail trains for future expansion, including service to West Seattle and Tacoma, while providing over 600 living-wage jobs.

The Final EIS responds to comments on the 2021 and 2023 Draft EIS documents, provides a detailed look at project benefits, and potential impacts and mitigation measures that would help inform the Sound Transit Board as it considers the final project. 

The Operations and Maintenance Facility South is critical for Sound Transit’s transformational transit expansion program. The facility will provide the necessary space to store and service the light rail vehicles the agency needs as the system grows from the current 35-mile, 39-station, two-line system into a 116-mile, 83-station regional network. When completed, the facility will service about 144 light rail vehicles for train cleaning and repairs.  

With the Final EIS released, staff anticipate providing a project update to the Sound Transit Board’s System Expansion Committee on June 13. At that meeting, the committee will consider recommending a project to be built to the full Board of Directors. The full Board is expected to select the project to build at its June 27 meeting.

The alternatives under consideration include:  

• The South 336th Street Alternative in Federal Way, the previously board-identified preferred alternative
• The South 344th Street Alternative in Federal Way
• The Midway Landfill Alternative in Kent 

Once the Board selects the final project, the project will advance to final design work and construction. The Board has identified a target in-service date of 2029. The Final EIS indicates a completion date of 2032-2037, depending on which alternative is selected to be built, and actions are being taken to reduce the schedule.

The Operations and Maintenance Facility South Final EIS is available at local libraries and community centers in the cities of Kent and Federal Way and online here.

Since the launch of the Operations and Maintenance Facility South project in 2018, Sound Transit has conducted multiple rounds of engagement including online and in-person open houses and community briefings.