Sound Transit Board Chooses Site in Federal Way for Link Operations and Maintenance Facility South

Tacoma Link travels along Commerce Street, August 9, 2018

Sound Transit

SEATTLE ––Sound Transit is marking a major milestone for ST3 projects and future Link service in Pierce County and South King County.

When finished, the OMF South will store and maintain Link light rail trains for future Link expansion. More than 600 permanent jobs will be available within the project site. Passenger vehicles will be able to enter service more quickly than normal because the facility will contain a 24-hour testing track that will be used for testing and breaking-in new light rail vehicles.

Repairs and train cleaning will also be conducted at this site and there will be a connecting track 1.4 miles long from the Federal Way Link Extension to the site. In addition, the hope is that these tracks will be available for the Tacoma Dome Line Extension that is currently in environmental review.

King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine said “Siting the Operations and Maintenance Facility marks another major milestone for Sound Transit as we advance the most ambitious transit expansion in the nation, bolstering service throughout Central Puget Sound.”

Sound Transit Board member and King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer said “Due to land constraints, we had limited options before us for this new Operations and Maintenance Facility. I believe this is the most cost-effective decision we could make as good stewards of taxpayer dollars. At similar facilities, the average employee wage is $45 per hour –– that’s more than $85,000 a year. I’m glad these impactful jobs supporting regional transit will be in South King County.”

The Board has targeted an in-service date of 2029 for the facility, and the project is now moving to final design work and construction.

Map showing location of new operations and maintenance facility/Courtesy of Sound Transit