LYNNWOOD — Leaders at Sound Transit are preparing later this month to chart their preferred route for a light rail line to Lynnwood, following the release of environmental studies.
The work stems from a light-rail expansion that voters approved in 2008.
If the project remains on schedule, construction on the northward expansion toward Snohomish County would begin in 2018.
Link light rail trains would reach Lynnwood by 2023, taking commuters as far as the Lynnwood Transit Center, near I-5 south of 200th Street SW.
“We’re happy with the way the project is coming along,” Lynnwood city spokeswoman Julie Moore said.
The Sound Transit board of directors is scheduled to vote on the route and possible stations during its regular meeting, scheduled 1:30 to 4 p.m. April 23.
The preferred route from a future Northgate station would skirt the east side of I-5 through north Seattle and Shoreline. It would cross over to the west side of the freeway after the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center. Trains also would stop at stations at 145th and 185th streets in Shoreline.
Additionally, the Sound Transit board asked staff to study the possibility of stations at 220th Street in Mountlake Terrace and 130th Street in Seattle.
Everett City Councilman Paul Roberts, a Sound Transit board member, said he favors the plan that’s being discussed.
“I’m excited that we’re about to make the choice,” he said.
Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration issued a final environmental impact statement last week. The document charts a potential course for the 8.5-mile leg from Northgate to Lynnwood. It addresses comments from a 2013 draft environmental study.
Sound Transit has been in touch with property owners along proposed rail routes, agency spokesman Bruce Gray said.
“Anyone we could have an impact on, they’ve been notified,” Gray said.
Construction crews are now building the light-rail segment between Husky Stadium and Northgate, slated to open in 2021.
Eventually, the light-rail system could reach Everett, probably at least a decade after Lynnwood. In December, Sound Transit leaders agreed to study an alignment that would serve Paine Field en route to downtown Everett.
Voters still must approve a tax increase for the Everett expansion, known as Sound Transit 3 or ST3. That could go to the ballot next year.
For more information go to www.soundtransit.org/Lynnwoodextension.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
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