Sound Transit Board advances construction elements of NE 130th Street infill station

Elements of construction of the NE 130th Street Station will move forward following a vote from the Sound Transit Board of Directors.

The purpose of advancing the project is to minimize future disruption for Lynnwood Link customers when the extension opens for service in 2024. The Sound Transit Board will determine in the second quarter of 2021 whether to advance other construction elements of the station, which could allow the station to open earlier. The station is currently planned to open in 2031.

The board approved a motion to advance the schedule for completing final design for the entire station using an integrated design, and to complete the work in the first construction package. In the second quarter of 2021, after the final design is complete, staff will return with additional financial, operational and construction information so that the board can determine whether to authorize the second or both the second and third construction packages. The board's decision at that time is expected to determine the opening date for the NE 130th Street station.

The station, which is part of Sound Transit 3, has been slated to open in 2031. However, in September 2018, the board authorized advancing preliminary engineering (PE) to determine if all or part of the project could be constructed concurrently with the Lynnwood Link Extension project.

The PE process confirmed construction of an infill station over and around an active railway would create adverse effects on riders and customer service. The direct impacts of service disruption could affect more than 60,000 daily riders on the Lynnwood Link alignment because of the likely need to operate trains on a single track through the construction area. Advancing the construction schedule should minimize the need for single-track operations.

In addition to advancing the schedule for the NE 130th Street station, the board approved a motion authorizing Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff to amend existing contracts to complete the final design and the first construction package in coordination with the Lynnwood Link extension.