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Sound Transit construction, station artwork and bus loop work ongoing in Federal Way; opening and operations timelines reiterated
Summary
City public works staff updated the committee on Sound Transit construction in Federal Way, reporting roundabout and frontage work, station testing, artwork installation expected in mid-March, and bus operations moving to the new bus loop with a tentative March 29 transition; project opening and testing remain scheduled into 2026.
Ken Smith of the City of Federal Way Public Works department updated the committee on Sound Transit construction activity in Federal Way and associated city coordination work.
Smith described work north of SR-317 that includes haul-route restoration on Starlick Road and Military Road, curb ramp and overlay prep work, communications and electrical systems testing, and final punch-list items along the corridor. He said final frontage and ADA sidewalk work is ongoing along Military Road South, and traffic mitigation and wall construction adjacent to the right-of-way are under way.
For the city center area, Smith said splitter islands and the center island for the new roundabout are under construction and the roundabout is currently functioning. Final site work for the bus loop, elevator testing, systems testing, artwork installation, and decorative paving are proceeding. Artwork pieces (two named pieces referenced in staff remarks) were expected in mid-March pending building permits and scheduling; Smith said building permits for some pieces were not yet issued but fabrication was complete.
Smith said bus operations are expected to switch from the existing transit center to the new bus loop about March 29 to allow demolition of the old transit center area and to enable construction on SR-317. He said station and facility testing and commissioning will continue into 2025 and 2026 with an expectation for additional testing and driver familiarization ahead of full operations in mid-2026.
Councilmembers asked whether project funding risks could cause work to stop; Smith said FTA conditions and Sound Transit practices require cash-on-hand before starting major construction, and that the projects currently under construction had funding in place. He recommended scheduling a council site tour after artwork installation.
Ending: Staff will continue coordination with Sound Transit on permits, testing and bus operation transitions; staff offered to arrange a council site tour once artwork and key milestones are in place.
