Sound Transit selects pedestrian, parking improvements for Sumner Sounder station

Improvements include a new garage that will bring total station parking to 857 stalls, sidewalk and lighting improvements

The Sound Transit Board of Directors today approved a new parking garage, sidewalk and lighting improvements at the Sumner Sounder station to improve transit rider access to the station.

“Sounder remains a popular regional commuter service, with south line ridership growing by double-digit numbers,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Access investments at Sumner Station are needed to keep pace with the thousands of people who choose transit over gridlock every day.”

“People thought this would be the smallest station on the line, but in reality, it serves more than just Sumner, helping people in Orting, Bonney Lake, Tehaleh and even Lakeland get to work,” said Sound Transit Boardmember and Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow. “It’s tough to balance that kind of demand and protect the small town charm that we love so much about Sumner, but I think we did it with this package.”

Access improvements for the $52.4 million project include a new, approximately 623-stall parking garage at the current station parking site, sidewalk and lighting improvements. 234 surface-lot spaces located south of Maple Street, north of Maple Street and at the Red Apple building will remain. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019 and be complete by 2021.

In the 2008 Sound Transit 2 ballot measure, voters approved funding for improving commuter access to Sounder train stations. In August 2014, following work with the city, business owners and members of the community, the Board identified the preferred alternative to advance through environmental analysis for Sumner Station. Next steps for the project will include the Board considering actions to authorize property purchase and continuing with design.

More information on Sounder station improvements can be found at soundtransit.org/sumnerimprovements.