Sounder service to Tukwila starts on March 12

More than six months ahead of schedule, the full complement of seven Sounder stations between Tacoma and Seattle will be complete when service to Tukwila Station begins on March 12. The temporary Tukwila Station was originally scheduled to open in September, but thanks to a combined effort of the cities of Tukwila and Renton, The Boeing Company and Sound Transit, Sounder's two weekday peak-hour trains will leave Tukwila Station at 6:56 and 7:26 a.m. In the afternoon, Sounder will arrive in Tukwila at 5:27 and 5:52 p.m.

The temporary Tukwila Station will be fully operational with Sounder's high¬tech ticket vending machines and parking for 250 cars. The Boeing Company generously offered temporary use their Longacres property for parking at no cost, and the cities of Tukwila and Renton worked in cooperation with Sound Transit to expedite permits and planning. A map of the Tuwkila Station site can be found at http://www.sounder.org/Stations/tukwila. htm

With the opening of Kent and Puyallup stations last month, Sounder ridership per train already ranks as the second highest non-New York commuter rail line in the entire nation. Sounder is surpassing opening day ridership projections, averaging about 1,800 daily riders on just two round trips, far exceeding the original projection of 1,500 riders per day on three round trips. Ridership numbers are for regular weekday service only and do not include the Mariners trains or other special service. By 2003, Sounder service is planned to extend north to Everett, Edmonds and Mukliteo and south of Tacoma to Lakewood.
Sounder's customer information line is 1-888-889-6368; for TTY hearing impaired users please call 1-888-713-6030 and the Sounder Web site is www.sounder.orlr. For general Sound Transit information please visit the Sound Transit Web site at www.soundtransit.or /, or call or write for more information at Sound Transit, Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104, 206-398-5000 or toll free 1-800-201-4900.

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Sound Transit plans, builds and operates regional transit systems and services to improve mobility for Central Puget Sound.