Tacoma light rail plan missing one crucial segment | Tacoma News Tribune

Sound Transit's Tacoma Dome Link Extension is a transformative project aimed at connecting Federal Way to Tacoma by 2035, featuring a nearly 10-mile route that includes an elevated station near Freighthouse Square. The draft environmental impact statement (EIS) highlights a total investment of $3. 3 billion, with plans for four new stations to improve public transit access. The public will have the opportunity to provide feedback starting December 13, 2024, allowing community input to shape the final decisions. A preferred route through South Federal Way and into Fife has yet to be identified, with concerns raised regarding potential impacts on culturally sensitive areas prompting further evaluation.

Additionally, the project is expected to displace several businesses, particularly around the planned stations at Portland Avenue and East 25th Street. This extension aims to serve a significant number of daily riders, with estimates ranging from 24,000 to 36,000. Sound Transit plans to begin construction in 2028 or 2029, with full operation anticipated by 2035, marking a crucial step in a nearly 40-year effort to establish a light rail link between Federal Way and Tacoma.