As part of the Sound Transit 2 plan approved by Metropolitan Seattle voters in 2008, the agency is starting the formal planning process for mass transit between Northgate and Lynnwood with early scoping. Sound Transit wants to hear from residents because public input received during this early scoping process will help us identify the best way to serve a given community.

The agency urges citizens to attend a hands-on planning session to learn and comment about project purpose and schedule, areas that may be served by future stations and criteria for reviewing alternatives. The meetings on October 7, 12 and 14 will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. A presentation will begin at 6:45 p.m., followed by a workshop.

In another story, the Sound Transit Board approved the negotiation of a term sheet with the City of Tacoma for a proposed new station between the Convention Center and Theatre District stations on Commerce Street.

The proposed station would be the sixth on the Tacoma Link route, which began running in 2003 between downtown Tacoma and the Tacoma Dome Station. Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and other Tacoma officials were at the Board meeting to voice their support for the station, saying it would be a popular and convenient stop downtown. The station, along with maintenance costs, will be paid by the City of Tacoma. Once a term sheet has been negotiated, it will return to the Board for approval.