Ailing Sound Transit now faces cost overruns on Tacoma Link extension
Written by RT&S Staff
The cost for the lines that will connect Ballard to West Seattle has more than doubled.
Sound Transit
With Sound Transit looking to trim costs, one project just added some fat. The Tacoma Link light-rail extension needs another $35 million due to unexpected discoveries while handling utility work. Sound Transit’s System Expansion Committee agreed on June 11 to ask the board of directors for the additional funds. If approved, the total cost of the extension will be $252 million, a 16 percent increase over the original tag of $217 million.
While doing the utility work, workers uncovered lines that had to be relocated and contaminated soil that needed to be removed. A fund was built into the budget to handle cost overruns, but according to Sound Transit spokesman Scott Thompson there was not enough to meet the need.
Over 25,000 ft of pipes and cables have been relocated, but the utility work is still not complete. In total, the 2.4-mile project is about 60 percent complete.
This week crews also were working around the Stadium District station. Concrete and rail was being set. Forty-one percent of the track (11,000 ft) has been placed for the inbound and outbound tracks. Track work is expected to be complete by mid-2021, while custom-built curved track will be installed this summer.
Workers will have to install 300 power poles for overhead lines, which will require three new substations.
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