07.09.19

Cantwell Announces $100M Federal Investment for Federal Way Light Rail

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, announced the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has allocated $100 million in Capital Investment Grant (CIG) funding for the Federal Way Link Light Rail Extension project. 

“Today’s announcement is a game-changer for commuters in South King and Pierce counties. This nearly 8-mile extension of the popular Link Light Rail line will greatly improve access to Sea-Tac and downtown Seattle for all South King and Pierce county residents. With travel times of 15 minutes between Federal Way and Sea-Tac and less than 45 minutes between Kent/Des Moines Station and downtown Seattle, this key federal investment will help reduce congestion in our region, while providing better options for commuters,” Senator Cantwell said. 

The federal investment will help complete the Federal Way Link Extension, a 7.8-mile light rail project from the Angle Lake station through the cities of SeaTac, Des Moines, Kent, and Federal Way. The extension includes three stations and, when completed, will have trains running every 6-8 minutes during peak hours. 

Senator Cantwell has long supported the CIG program. In the March 2018 omnibus spending bill, she helped secure a significant increase in transportation and infrastructure investment, including funding for the program. She has also helped secure federal funding for a number of transportation projects throughout the Puget Sound region, including for the Lynnwood Link extension, the Tacoma Link light rail expansion, and Swift Bus Rapid Transit services in Snohomish County. 

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