Sound Transit announcement.
Construction is happening throughout the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension project area. This includes crews continuing to finish the roadway restoration, working on station finishes, adjusting utilities, striping paint on the street, testing systems, installing crosswalks, and cutting decorative sidewalks in various locations along the Hilltop Tacoma Link project area. These construction activities and schedules are dependent on weather. Please allow for extra travel time to get to your destination and follow detour signage. For details of the traffic control changes, please scroll down to the “Where” section.
Access to hospitals, medical centers and the emergency department will remain open during construction.
Please support your local businesses during construction and stay Loyal to the Local!
What
Continued construction and traffic restrictions along Stadium Way, N. 2nd St., Division Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Way and the Dome District
When
Week of November 14. Work will occur during the day and nighttime hours.
Where
Entire project area:
- Daytime and nighttime track testing, electrical testing, light installation, decorative sidewalk cutting, and overhead wiring work for the future light rail system will happen in various locations along the alignment during the week (Commerce St., Stadium Way, N. 1st St., Division Ave., and MLK Jr. Way). During this construction activity, the contractor has obtained a nighttime noise variance and will need to temporarily remove parking and shift traffic to maintain a safe working area.
- The contractor has obtained a noise variance to start at 8 a.m. on weekends at the Old City Hall Station, NE 4th Station, Stadium District Station and Tacoma General Station to finish installation of handrails at the stations.
- Directional street closures will occur between MLK, N 1st, Stadium and Division at certain station locations for gutter and downspout installation. Parking will need to be removed in the area during these closures.
- The Tacoma Link is now back in service! The T Line train will be turning around temporarily at 7th and Commerce until we start testing later this year. Please make sure to stay within the parking lanes to not impede T Link vehicle access.
- Rail grinding is now scheduled to be completed as early as Nov. 16. This work will occur at night and will involve a slow-moving operation along the alignment. Impacts include traffic control in grinding areas, sparks coming from the machine and noise from the operations. There will be no parking signs along the corridor for this construction impact. Click here for more information.
- Final road and parking lane striping in various areas will be delayed due to the fall/winter weather. Crews will schedule when the weather allows.
Dome District:
- Westbound E. 25th St. between G and K streets is now open. Striping will occur as early as Saturday, Nov. 12 and will have temporary traffic control to complete. This work is dependent on weather. Work will be scheduled at a later date for concrete panel repairs in the area.
- East 26th St. from G St. to D St. closure for utility work. This work is scheduled to be completed as early as Nov. 23. F St. to D St. will be open to local access for businesses.
Commerce/Stadium Way:
- S. 7th St. and Commerce St. intersection is open to two-way traffic. Light rail operators will be using the intersection to turn switch tracks. This will be in place until pre-revenue testing later this year. A traffic flagger will be present during this timeframe. The terminus location for the T Line in the interim will be the Commerce St. Station at 11th St. and Commerce.
Stadium District (N. E St., N 1st St., Division Ave.):
- N. Tacoma Avenue and N. 1st St. intersection/corner/crosswalk work started on Oct. 17. As this work occurs, the crosswalks will need to be closed to restore the sidewalk, ramps and utilities. Vehicle and sidewalk access will be maintained. Business access will be maintained, but there will be sidewalk closures in various areas. Please follow traffic control signage for detours. Parking will also need to be removed near work areas. Some of the work will require lane closures to N. Tacoma Avenue and N. 1st St. This work will occur seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., through mid-November. The closures have moved to the south corners of N. Tacoma Avenue and N. 1st St. This work is scheduled to be completed by mid-November. This work will also have to close just south of the N. 1st St intersection. Parking will need to be removed from the area and detours will be in place during this work.
- Southbound Stadium Way between 705 and Broadway will be fully closed as early as Nov. 15 for tree trimming and other work. There will be a shift on Northbound Stadium Way where the I-705 intersection will lead into Division Ave. This work is scheduled to be completed by late November. Once this work is complete, the bike lane will be reopened. This work is pending Tacoma Ave. opening to two-way traffic.
- Tacoma Ave South leg will be closed through Nov. 14.
- Full closure of North J St. at Division Avenue is scheduled to open as early as Nov. 11. 2nd St will remain open.
- 2nd St. at Division Avenue will be fully closed for roadway restoration as early as Nov. 11 and will last through mid-November. J St. will remain open.
- Northbound I St. full closure at 2nd St. will last through late November. Traffic will be able to turn south on I St. from the east on N 2nd St.
- Westbound N 1st St. Bike Lane will close and a lane shift on Yakima will occur as early as Nov. 23 for vaulted sidewalk repair and is scheduled to open in mid-November. This work received a noise variance to work seven days a week, starting at 7 a.m.
Hilltop/MLK Jr. Way:
- Northbound MLK from Division Avenue to 3rd St. is closed for restoration work. This work will continue through mid-November.
- The city and Sound Transit walked the project area and have found “punch list” work that will require directional closures of MLK to make the repairs. The contractor has scheduled the work in sections from 6th St. to 9th St., 9th St. to 12th St. and 15th St. to 19th St. in each direction. Each section will take about four days to complete. Signage will be posted to show the areas of closures with dates. Work will include repairs to track slabs, sidewalks and other types of concrete.
- Future street closures:
- Crews will be working on MLK Jr. Way and Earnest S. Brazill St. to install drainage along the future light rail trackway. This work will require a full closure of the intersection for about six days.
