|
Recent Progress
The donation agreement, essential to moving forward with construction, has been signed by BNSF and the city of Seattle. King Street Station is now property of the city and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is now the lead agency for this project. WSDOT will transfer all federal funds to the city. Funds in the King Street Station Account will also be made available to the city. WSDOT is providing SDOT the drawings, scope description, and updated cost estimates to allow planned work to take place. As a result, WSDOT will not be reporting future progress on this project.
SDOT expects to bid out the next piece of construction work in the next chapter. This work will focus on the roof, including removal of unused microwave communication dishes, installing a new tile roof, replacing the roof drain system, cleaning and restoring the tower which will include repairing the clock and upgrading the electrical system. The roof work is expected to begin in July and take four to five months to complete. While the roof work is underway, SDOT will be working with consultants to finalize the design for the balance of the interior work.
SDOT is developing a construction strategy that will allow best use of federal grants, King Street Station Account money, and city funds. In addition SDOT has $10.0 million to contribute towards the project. This money will allow for a seismic retrofit of the building and reconstruction of the Jackson Street Plaza, both items not previously funded in the original WSDOT plan. Transition of the project from WSDOT to SDOT will be completed in the second quarter of 2008.
|
|
Environmental Impacts / Compliance
An EIS process was conducted in1995, updated in 1998 and in 2001. A request for a documented categorical exclusion was submitted to FHWA in 2003.
|
Impacts to Traffic
Construction impacts will affect parking, taxi and general loading, and local vehicular traffic on Second and Third Avenues and King Street in downtown Seattle.
|