The Sound Transit Lynnwood Link Extension project team celebrated a major milestone in Nov. 2021 when it reached fifty percent completion. Upon opening in 2024, the new Seattle metropolitan area light rail extension will alleviate heavy highway congestion in the area and provide quick, reliable and environmentally conscious transportation service between south Snohomish County, the University of Washington, downtown Seattle, the Eastside, Sea-Tac Airport and Federal Way. The extension includes four new stations serving Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline and Seattle.
Construction work on the $3.1 billion project is being conducted by Stacy & Witbeck/Kiewit/Hoffman JV and Skanska Constructors L300 JV. Neal Flesner of VELO Group is working with the Skanska project team to facilitate Construction Partnering on a portion of work that includes 3.8 miles of new guideway alignment from Shoreline to Lynnwood. The project scope entails construction of 2.2 miles of aerial guideway, two elevated stations and a five-level, 1,670-car parking structure.
“As with any large, complex transit project, there are major challenges involving a variety of key stakeholders who need to work in tandem to achieve success,” says IPI Master Level Partnering Facilitator Neal Flesner. “Construction Partnering is streamlining this endeavor by creating an inclusive and proactive team environment to help align multiple stakeholders at multiple levels and reach the project’s overall goals set by the team.”
Progress made to date on the overall project includes:
- Completion of 188 columns.
- Setting 530 girders, with three more scheduled for completion before the end of the year.
- Beginning rail work on multiple locations.
- Work on all ten 10 bridges which are 80% complete.
Construction is also well underway on the project’s three parking structures which are being built for the extension.
“The remarkable progress we’re making is visible daily for anyone driving along I-5,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. “Considering that most of the work to date has been done during the pandemic, this milestone is a testament to the commitment of the project’s workforce.”
Read more about the team’s progress in Sound Transit’s Nov. 23, 2021 news release: https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/construction-lynnwood-link-extension-reaches-fifty-percent
Photo courtesy of Sound Transit.
