BNSF Site Identified as Preferred Alternative by Sound Transit Board

In July 2014, after a 45-day Draft EIS public review and comment period, the Sound Transit Board identified the BNSF site as the preferred alternative for a new light rail operations satellite base. The preferred “BNSF Site” Alternative is located south of SR 520 and north of Northeast 12th Street on the east side of the former BNSF railway corridor in Bellevue. The base is needed to store, service and deploy an expanded light rail train fleet as the system grows to 50 miles by 2023.

The extension of light rail will dramatically increase the region’s transportation capacity as the Puget Sound’s population climbs a projected 30 percent by 2040. The current operations and maintenance facility in Seattle, which can accommodate up to 104 light rail vehicles, will reach full capacity by 2020. The new satellite facility will maintain, store and deploy the expanded fleet and support the efficient light rail operations approved and funded by voters in 2008.

Full press release from July 24, 2014 for additional details.