RES 15-686 - Identifying Preferred Alignment for Sound Transit FWLE RESOLUTION NO. 15-686
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Federal Way,
Washington,identifying and making a recommendation for a preferred
alignment and station locations for the Federal Way Link Extension to
Federal Way.
WHEREAS, in 2008, the voters authorized the Central Puget Sound Transit Authority
("Sound Transit")under the Sound Transit 2 Plan("ST2")to proceed with an expansion of its Link
Light Rail Transit service to the City of Federal Way ("Federal Way Extension"); and
WHEREAS,the Federal Way Extension will benefit City residents and businesses and will
City as a catalyst for new development in the C ty C enter Area;, and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement("DEIS")on
April 10, 2015 with a public review and comment period closing on May 26, 2015; and
WHEREAS,the DEIS identified multiple potential alignment and station locations for the
extension to the City; and
WHEREAS,the alignment locations include routes generally along I-5 and SR 99 between S
200th Street in the City of SeaTac and Federal Way's City Center; and
WHEREAS, stations are proposed in the vicinity of Highline Community College, S 272nd
Street, and the Federal Way City Center; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit determined in its DEIS that, in comparison to alternative
alignments along SR 99, alternative alignments along I-5 would affect the lowest number of parcels,
would displace the fewest businesses,would convert the least amount of land from developable to
undevelopable property,would have the lowest adverse impacts on City tax revenues,would create
the lowest number of visual and noise impacts, would have the lowest cost, and would have with
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roughly equivalent ridership and travel times; and
WHEREAS,on average alternative alignments along SR 99 will cost$400 Million more than
alternative alignments along I-5; and
WHEREAS, the least expensive alternative alignment along SR 99 ($1.72 Billion) would
cost$280 Million more than the most expensive alternative alignment along I-5 ($1.44 Billion);and
WHEREAS,alternative alignments along SR 99 would impact businesses that had already
been disrupted with the $100 Million improvements and reconstruction of SR 99; and
WHEREAS, alternative alignments along SR 99 would provide transit service that is
duplicative to Metro's RapidRide A Line and leave remnant parcels that may not be able to be
redeveloped; and
WHEREAS, while an SR 99 alignment may provide more land with transit-oriented
development potential at the 272nd station location,continued weak market conditions may negate
any potential benefits associated with such development; and
WHEREAS,these concerns about an SR 99 alignment exist with a potential future extension
to Tacoma; and
WHEREAS, station locations that are as close as possible to Highline Community College
would maximize ridership; and
WHEREAS, station locations that are as close as possible to Federal Way Transit Center
would assure good transit connections; and
WHEREAS, station locations that provide good pedestrian connections to existing and
planned developments in the City Center would improve the viability of economic development in
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the City Center; and
WHEREAS,station locations that are as close as possible to the existing transit station would
facilitate better cross connections between transit modes and improve the overall efficiency,
usability, and desirability of the transit system; and
WHEREAS, station locations in the east portion of the city center, rather than the west
p ortion, will provide excellent o pp ortunities for transit-oriented development with less negative
impact associated with guide way encumbrances, while still facilitating an I-5 alignment; and
WHEREAS, the City of Federal Way wishes to make Sound Transit aware of the issues
raised for the City in the DEIS so they will be considered by Sound Transit for their determination of
a"Preferred Alternative."
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY,
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. City Concerns. The City's issues, concerns, comments, resulting from Sound
Transit's DEIS are hereby forwarded to the Sound Transit Board to be addressed and considered
prior rior to selecting a"Preferred Alternative."
Section 2.Preferred Alignment.Based upon a detailed analysis of the alternatives,review of
the DEIS,and public outreach,the City Council hereby expresses its preference for an I-5 alignment
as identified in the DEIS;
Section 3. Preferred Station Location near Highline Community College. Based upon a
detailed analysis of the alternatives, review of the DEIS, and public outreach, the City Council
hereby expresses its preference for a station location that is as close as possible to Highline College,
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but still facilitates an I-5 alignment, the exact location and details of which should be
negotiated with the City's affected regional partners including the Cities of DesMoines and Kent and
Highline College.
Section 4. Preferred Station Location in City Center. Based upon a detailed analysis of the
alternatives, review of the DEIS, and public outreach, the City Council hereby expresses its
preference for a hybrid station location generally located along 23rd Avenue S straddling S 320th
Street that would be consistent with an extension to Tacoma along I-5.
Section 5. Severability.If any section,sentence,clause or phrase of this resolution should be
held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence,
clause or phrase of this resolution.
Section 6. Corrections. The City Clerk and the codifiers of this resolution are authorized to
make necessary corrections to this resolution including, but not limited to, the correction of
scrivener/clerical errors, references, resolution numbering, section/subsection numbers and any
references thereto.
Section 7.Ratification.Any act consistent with the authority and prior to the effective date of
this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed.
Section 8.Effective Date.This resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage by the
Federal Way City Council.
RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY,
WASHINGTON this 19th day of May , 2015.
Resolution No. 15-686 Page 4 of 5
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
4 0,
M ' 0 R, JI ` FERRELL
ATTEST:
OF' I LERK, STEPHANIE COU° 1 Y, CMC
APPROVED AS TO FORM:6 "a/torn
PI
CITY ATI '•1 EY, AMY JO PEARSALL
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: 05/15/2015
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: 05/19/2015
RESOLUTION NO.: 15-686
Resolution No. 15-686 Page 5 of 5