For the Reporter

Sound Transit hosts a series of neighborhood drop-in sessions this week through April 17 to give the public a chance to hear about alternatives for extending light rail service from SeaTac to Federal Way.

There are three April sessions scheduled in Kent.

The agency has identified several alignment, station and grade alternatives for extending light rail from the future Angle Lake Station at South 200th Street, which opens in 2016, to the Federal Way Transit Center near South 320th Street, a distance of about 7.6 miles.

Forecasted voter-approved funding is sufficient to cover the extension of service to the Kent-Des Moines area by 2023, with extensions further southward subject to identifying additional funding sources. Sound Transit will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to evaluate potential environmental impacts and benefits of the identified alternatives. The DEIS is expected to be available for public and agency review later this year.

Citizens are encouraged to stop by the following events, where Sound Transit staff will be available to share the agency’s plans for extending light rail farther south.

SESSIONS

• Des Moines

Tuesday, March 18
10 a.m.-noon
Des Moines Activity Center
2045 S. 216th St.

Thursday, March 26
5-7 p.m.
Highline Community College
2400 S. 240th St.

• Federal Way

Wednesday, March 20
5-7 p.m.
Federal Way Library
34200 First Way S.

• Kent
Tuesday, April 8
Noon-2 p.m.
The Market Place Plaza
2311 Pacific Highway S.

Thursday, April 10
Noon-2 p.m.
Lowe’s
24050 Pacific Highway S.

Thursday, April 17
Noon-2 p.m.
Lowe’s
24050 Pacific Highway S.

For more information on the Federal Way Link Extension, please go to www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/Federal-Way-Link-Extension.