Sound Transit, community discuss Federal Way Link Extension impact
Published 9:00 am Friday, September 23, 2016
Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff met with community leaders Wednesday to discuss the impact the Federal Way Link Extension could have on downtown businesses if funding for the project is secured this November election.
“Listening to local operators is critical to building this center around the needs of the community,” said King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer, who organized the meeting.
Sound Transit officials also met at the Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce’s Business Roundtable that days to answer questions and promote the economic benefits of light rail.
The proposed Federal Way light rail route will enter the city at South 317th Street from Interstate 5, crossing the roundabout at 317th before jutting across 23rd Avenue South. A station is planned to be at property that now houses Denny’s, Wendy’s, an Arco station and a strip mall and parking lot. The strip mall includes Deseret Industries Thrift Store, Outback Steakhouse and others.
The route will eventually continue south until reaching a proposed south Federal Way station and the Tacoma Dome. However, plans for light rail past the Federal Way Transit Center have yet to be determined.*
The station and its light rail connection to Kent/Des Moines depends on the passage of Sound Transit Proposition 1, a $54 billion tax package that will fund the Sound Transit 3 plan. That plan includes several projects throughout the region totaling 62 miles of light rail, new Bus Rapid Transit service, increased Sounder commuter service, and parking and station access.
“It really is an all-of-the-above strategy to deal with the congestion, which, any of you know… has worsened to the tune of 95 percent in just the last four years,” Rogoff said. “And it really goes on top of the fact that this region is one of 11 regions in the country that’s going to have really bad population growth – estimated to be 800,000 additional residents by 2040.”
Rogoff said that growth is equivalent to the populations of Seattle and a good portion of Tacoma.
“You can imagine what traffic is going to look like then,” he added.
If the measure is approved, crews could begin construction on the $1.44 billion Federal Way Link Extension as soon as 2019 with expected project completion by 2024.
But residents throughout the Sound Transit district, which stretches as far south as Tacoma and as far north as Everett, will have to pay up.
The Sound Transit 3 plan would increase sales tax by .5 percent, or 50 cents on a $100 purchase; license tabs (the motor vehicle excise tax) by 0.8 percent or $80 annually on a $10,000 vehicle; and property tax by 25 cents for each $1,000 of assessed valuation, or $100 annually for a $400,000 house.
Sound Transit officials say it would cost the average adult in their district $169 a year ($14 a month) in new taxes.
Additionally, to build the Federal Way Transit Center station, the transportation agency will need to acquire a significant amount of property. Those negotiations could begin as soon as early 2017 at the same time the final design phase commences.
Willie Cho, owner of the McDonald’s on South 320th Street and 23rd Avenue South, said if all goes according to plan, nobody will be purchasing the land his business sits on. He added, however, that nothing is guaranteed because oftentimes underground utilities are not where they’re mapped out to be, especially in older areas.
“If you look at the map, I’m literally 100 feet away from the transit station, so depending on what happens with the utilities…” Cho trailed off. “As it stands now, I don’t think I’m going to be affected.”
While Cho has some concerns, he’s also excited.
“I think it is the way of the future,” he said. “It’s something that we know will be happening, not only for this community of Federal Way but, as we go down south toward Tacoma and much of Washington, so not only being a local business person but being a person that drives and deals with the traffic and everything, I think that this is something that has to happen.”
Cathal Ridge, the South Corridor Development Manager with Sound Transit, said the station’s location emerged during the public comment period that was held around this time last year.
It’s estimated the Federal Way Transit Center station will generate 25,200, or 70 percent, of the Federal Way Link Extension’s boardings.*
“It’s going to be a very, very significant station,” Ridge said.
About 2/3 of the people getting on the light rail will be getting there by bus, he added.
The Federal Way Transit Center parking garage will remain at its current location, but Sound Transit plans to move the bus station to 23rd Avenue South. They also plan to build an additional parking garage to the southeast of the current garage.
If the ballot measure fails, light rail will stop at the Kent/Des Moines station in 2023, as that’s the only portion Sound Transit has the funds for, Ridge said.
For more information, visit www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/Federal-Way-Link-Extension or soundtransit3.org.
* Editor’s note: A previous version of this story, as well as the Sept. 23 print edition of the Mirror, contained incorrect information in the above-noted paragraphs. These paragraphs have been changed to reflect accurate information.
