FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Sound Transit has selected the site for its South King County Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF), opting for a site in Federal Way that will displace residents and businesses.
The Board of Directors for Sound Transit selected the South 336th Street site in Federal Way as the future location of the 66-acre lot. It will operate 24 hours a day year-round.
“Due to land constraints, we had limited options before us for this new Operations and Maintenance Facility. I believe this is the most cost-effective decision we could make as good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Sound Transit Board member and King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer in a statement.
The facility will be built between South 336th Street and South 341st Place, between Interstate 5 and state Route 99.
The incoming OMF South will displace a church, a school and two daycares, along with nearly 100 residents and 11 businesses, according to the project's final Environmental Impact Statement.
JaJuan Couch is one of nearly 100 residents and 11 businesses that are being forced to move out.
"It's your place of peace," Couch said. "You can't have no peace knowing you got to leave. It's something you worked hard for."
The OMF South location is where 144 Link light rail trains will be stored, cleaned and maintained, and includes a track for 24-hour testing of new light rail vehicles, according to Sound Transit.
"I don't think that it's fair, that they get to disrupt our lives, because they want a new transit facility," Couch said. "Especially a transit facility I paid for out of my taxes. I didn't ask for that."
Mia Franklin lives two blocks south of Couch where Sound Transit was considering the facility.
"I'm gonna chain myself to my house," Franklins said. "You're gonna have to come, I'm gonna have to call the news, you guys are going to have to come hard and heavy because I'm not leaving."
Franklin won't be leaving, however, after Sound Transit decided to go with another option.
"Like a monkey off my back," Franklins said. "There are no words to express the relief you feel because we've been held captive under this scrutiny of your block, that area, the other area and it's not a good feeling."
Sound Transit said the location for its facility will result in fewer displacements and will be a less expensive option during the construction process. The agency is planning on offering compensation for those impacted.
It will also offer residents support with moving expenses and other relocation assistance.
"It's not necessary not when it comes to taking people's homes, and people's livelihoods," Couch said. "That could never be cost-effective."
Sound Transit has one OMF on South Forest Street in Seattle. A second OMF is in Bellevue and the agency plans to add a fourth in an undetermined area north of Seattle.
“Siting the Operations and Maintenance Facility South marks another major milestone for Sound Transit as we advance the most ambitious transit expansion in the nation, bolstering service throughout Central Puget Sound,” said King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine.
It will employ 600 people and the average employee salary at the OMF South will be approximately $85,000, according to Sound Transit.
With an estimated opening date of 2029, the Sound Transit website states the agency could delay its plans to a completion date of 2032.
The next phase will be the final design work and construction.