Sound Transit light rail extension to Federal Way opens

Sound Transit light rail extension to Federal Way has opened, and the new service brings additional travel options to residents of South King County and the wider South Sound region, as reported by Railway Supply.

Sound Transit light rail extension to Federal Way: project overview

This Seattle light rail extension to Federal Way — described in more detail on Sound Transit’s official project page — pushes the 1 Line almost eight miles farther south. As part of the Federal Way Link Extension, three new stations have opened at Kent Des Moines, Star Lake and Federal Way Downtown, while two new parking structures and an expanded facility in Federal Way have been added to handle growing demand.

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The launch slots into Sound Transit’s broader, multi-year programme of Puget Sound light rail expansion. Over the past three years, the agency has rolled out several extensions: the T Line to Hilltop, the 2 Line between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology, the Lynnwood Link into Snohomish County and the 2 Line extension to Downtown Redmond. Looking ahead, the Crosslake Connection is planned for 2026, when the 2 Line will be carried across Lake Washington into Seattle.

Sound Transit Board Chair and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers characterises the Sound Transit Federal Way Link Extension as another progress milestone for the region. In his view, the new link moves the network closer to the goal of connecting all three counties of the Puget Sound region by light rail.

Voters first backed the Federal Way extension in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure, and construction on the line began in 2020. Regional officials say the new service reinforces rail links across the Puget Sound area and fits into a longer-term plan to connect all three counties by light rail within a wider Puget Sound light rail expansion strategy.

Project delivery and funding

The extension was delivered by contractor Kiewit. The Federal Way Link Extension carries a total price tag of 2.5 billion USD, with part of that sum coming from a 790 million USD grant from the Federal Transit Administration and a 629.5 million USD low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation, as outlined in the U.S. DOT’s project profile.

Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine notes that the agency and its community partners had to steer the project through both the Great Recession and the Covid pandemic. Even with those headwinds, the Sound Transit light rail extension to Federal Way was completed hundreds of millions of dollars under budget. For Constantine, the opening shows that the agency can provide clean, frequent and reliable transit and connect more people to opportunity in South King County and across the wider region.

Station details on the Federal Way Link Extension

Kent Des Moines Station

Kent Des Moines Station is an elevated stop near the SR 516 exit off Interstate 5. It serves Highline College and an area planned for future housing development, and the site includes a parking garage with about 500 spaces.

Star Lake Station

Star Lake Station sits just north of South 272nd Street on the west side of I-5. The station connects nearby neighbourhoods and includes a parking structure with 1,105 spaces, giving riders additional park-and-ride capacity on the Seattle light rail extension to Federal Way.

Federal Way Downtown Station

Federal Way Downtown Station is located at the Federal Way Transit Center, one of the region’s busiest transport hubs with bus and regional links. This elevated station serves the Federal Way Performing Arts and Events Center and surrounding businesses. An expansion of the existing garage has added 341 spaces to the 1,224 that were already available, supporting growing demand for access to the Federal Way Link Extension.

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