Light rail train testing along the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension is scheduled nightly as early as Dec. 20, 21, 27 and 28.

Sound Transit announcement.

Last week we discussed track alignment issues that, coupled with other project challenges, will push the opening of the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension past March of 2023.

Over the past week, Sound Transit brought in experts to look at the rail problem located at the curve on Stadium Way — approximately 160 feet of track in front of Stadium High School. After consultant and staff analysis, it was determined that this track issue does not introduce additional safety concerns. This clears us to proceed with testing trains along the extension as early as the night of Dec. 20.

We are working toward launching service as soon as possible in 2023, while maintaining quality and safety. We will continue to work closely with the City of Tacoma and other partners and will keep you updated on our progress.

Construction is occurring throughout the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension project area including crews continuing the roadway restoration and station finishes, adjusting utilities, paint striping on the street, systems testing, installing crosswalks and cutting decorative sidewalks in various locations.

During the holidays, the contractor will focus outside the districts. They’ll return in the new year to complete restoration. The construction and work schedule 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 effects, please scroll down to the “Where” section.

Access is open to hospitals, medical centers and the emergency department during construction.

Please support your local businesses during construction. Let’s stay Loyal to the Local!

What

Continued construction and traffic restrictions along Stadium Way, N. 2nd Street, Division Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Way and the Dome District.

When

• Dec. 16 Update. Work will occur during the day and nighttime hours.

Where

Entire project area:

• Nighttime vehicle/track testing will occur as early as Dec. 20-21 for a “deadcar tow” along the entire corridor (MLK/Divison, N. 1st Street and Stadium). A “deadcar tow” is a truck pulling a light rail vehicle to test the tracks.
• The overhead wires are not fully energized. Although we want the public to treat the wires like they are live since the installation, the wires are now officially live. Please be aware and coordinate any work that needs to happen near the trackway wires with our project team and operations moving forward.
• Daytime and nighttime track and light rail vehicle testing, electrical testing, traffic signal modifications, decorative sidewalk cutting, channeling revisions, completing station finishes and overhead wiring work for the future light rail system will be occurring in various locations along the alignment during the week (Commerce Street, Stadium Way, N. 1st, Division Ave. and MLK Jr. Way). These activities require work at night and weekends. The contractor has obtained a nighttime/weekend noise variance. They will need to temporarily remove parking and shift traffic to maintain a safe working area. Work will occur at night during the week and start at 8 a.m. on the weekends. The noise variance will be in place until the end of January.
  • With this work, the public will see trains running at 15-25 miles per hour and stopping at each new station along the corridor. There will be flaggers at five interactions to allow for trains to pass. These locations will be at Stadium Way and I-705 to Stadium Way and N. 4th Street, N. 1st St. and Broadway to Division Ave. and Yakima Avenue; Division Ave. and Yakima Ave. to Division Ave. and MLK Way; MLK Way and 6th Avenue to MLK Way and 11th Avenue; and MLK Way and E. Brazill Street to MLK Way and 18th Avenue. The work will have a noise impact of a low noise level of 70 decibels, close to the level of vacuum cleaner. This livewire testing will occur as early as Dec. 27-28, at night.
  • The contractor will be located at the Old City Hall Station, NE 4th Station, Stadium District Station and Tacoma General Station to finish installation of handrails at the stations. This work is expected to be completed, at all stations, as early as Jan. 20. The work will have a noise impact of 77 decibels, a moderate noise level similar to a garbage disposal. This work will occur from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends, with 8 a.m. starts for Saturday and Sunday. The stations at 6th Avenue, Hilltop District, and St. Joseph will be completed in January.
  • 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 work will have a noise impact of 60 decibels, the level of a conversation in restaurant or office.
  • There will be revisions to the channelization, or the use of secondary roads to separate certain flows of traffic from the main traffic lanes, will happen at Division and Yakima intersection, Division and I Street and N. 1st at Thriftway. This work will be completed at night. The work will have a noise impact of 73 decibels, a similar level to music being played in a living room.
• The Tacoma Link is now back in service! The T Line will temporarily end 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.
• Due to the winter weather, final road and parking lane striping in various areas will occur at a future date. Crews will schedule when the weather allows.

Dome District:

• E. 25th Street, will be down to a single lane for valve raising from Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 27-28.

Commerce/Stadium Way:

• Pacific Ave. at S. 7th St. will have a full southbound street closure as early as Jan. 3, 2023. This work will close the Pacific and 7th Ave. intersection for roadway restoration and slope stabilization. Vehicles headed southbound on Schuster Way to downtown will be detoured to S. 4th Street to Dock Street to access downtown. Southbound vehicles will still have access to the 705 on-ramp during this closure. This work will support water line repair and patching the trench. There will also be equipment on the slope with trucks removing material and general clean up. Parking will be impacted near the construction area.
• See Entire Project area information for nighttime and weekend work.

Stadium District (N. E St., N. 1st St., Division Ave.):

• Southbound Stadium Way, between 705 and Broadway is scheduled to reopen as early as Friday, Dec. 16.
• Broadway will have directional closures between Division and S. 4th Street as early as Friday, Dec. 16. The crews will be working on Broadway just north of the S. 4th St. intersection. Local access will remain on Broadway to maintain parking. A U-turn will be available during the southbound closure of Broadway. This work is for road restoration and sidewalk repairs. This work is expected to be completed in late December and is dependent on the work on Southbound Stadium Way.
• Future street closures:
  • Northbound I St. at 2nd St. will fully close for roadway restoration in early January 2023.
  • Tacoma Ave and N. 1st St. will close for roadway restoration in early January 2023.
  • Westbound N. 1st St. will fully close for vaulted sidewalk repair and concrete pours in early January 2023.
  • Tacoma Ave and N. 1st St. will have a corner closure for the removal of a diesel storage tank in mid-January 2023.
  • The Yakima intersection at 2nd St. will fully close for roadway restoration in late January 2023.

Hilltop/MLK Jr. Way:

• The city and Sound Transit walked the project area and have found a “punch list” of work that will require directional closures of MLK to make the repairs. The contractor has scheduled the work in sections from 6th Street to 9th Street, 9th St. to 12th Street, and 15th Street to 19th Street, 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 track slab repair, sidewalk repair and other types of concrete repair. The contractor will keep traffic open where space allows.
• The contractor will have directional closures on MLK, between 15th St. and 19th St., starting as early as Dec. 5. Their plan is to close southbound MLK first for about four to five days, then close northbound MLK for the same amount. Parking will need to be removed in the area during this work.
• Future street closures:
  • Crews will be working on MLK Jr. Way and East Earnest S. Brazill Street, installing drainage along the future light rail trackway. Work will require a full closure of the intersection. This will take about six days of work, to be completed in early January 2023.
  • Decorative saw cutting will occur at the Baker Center crosswalk as in early January 2023. This will be a one-day closure.
  • MLK and 13th St. will close in mid-January for track repair including demolition of some track, clean, up and potential replacement of rail.