Information For Tukwila Citizens
Service has begun on Sound Transit's new 13.9 mile Central Link light rail line. The trains began carrying passengers on July 18, 2009, stopping at 12 stations between Tukwila and Seattle. Sound Transit will extend the line another 1.7 miles to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, adding a thirteenth station in December 2009. For more information and schedules please visit the Sound Transit Link Light Rail website.
Noise Impact Study Update: 11/13/09
Sound Transit has filed a seven day temporary Noise Variance for nighttime work on its aerial guideway. The proposed work involves rail grinding from north of Boeing Access Road to Tukwila International Blvd Station. Rail grinding is proposed in order to reduce the train noise levels.The rail grinder moves at approximately 3 mph and will not be in any one area more than 15-20 minutes at a time. The grinding is scheduled to last no more than seven days and is scheduled to occur between Dec. 14, 2009 and Jan. 14, 2010 between the hours of 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. See attached notice of application. This notice is only for the noise variance application to grind the rails during the night time hours. Sound Transit plans on re-testing the noise levels after grinding is complete and submit the monitoring and testing report as required by the City of Tukwila Unclassified Use permit condition. This report shall include the proposed mitigation and shall be peer reviewed by the City’s noise consultant. After the peer review is completed, city staff along with Sound Transit staff will hold a public meeting on the results of the study and the proposed mitigation. Finally, the City Council will hold a quasi-judicial public hearing. You will receive a separate notice for the public meeting and the public hearing after peer review of the first monitoring and testing report is complete. At this time if you have any comments related to noise variance application for the grinding please submit those comments to Department of Community Development at 6300 Southcenter Blvd Suite 100 Tukwila WA or via email to mdhaliwal@ci.tukwila.wa.us, no later than 5:00 p.m., November 25, 2009.
Noise Impact Study Information
Noise impacts associated with Light Rail were analyzed during the Unclassified Use Permit that was approved by Tukwila City Council in 2004. A noise report prepared by Michael Minor was submitted by Sound Transit prior to the approval of the building permit of the guideway and the station. This was peer reviewed by the City’s consultant BRC Acoustics.
There are different noise thresholds depending on the adjoining land uses- parks, residential or industrial etc. Light Rail alignment had to meet Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) noise criteria; however the ancillary facilities such as the station site had to also meet City’s noise code in addition to the FTA noise criteria. Based on this review if any noise impacts were anticipated to the adjoining areas they were mitigated by the installation of acoustic panels on the guideway and the construction of noise walls along the east side of the station.
Additionally, the condition of the building permit approval included noise and vibration monitoring for three years from the start of the revenue service. Sound Transit was asked to prepare a scope of the noise and vibration monitoring prior to the issuance of certificate of occupancy. The scope of the study was peer reviewed by the City’s consultant. The final scope of noise and vibration monitoring is attached below.
Sound Transit has indicated that the first monitoring report will be submitted to the City by September 2009. This report shall identify mitigation for those areas that exceed the noise levels and it shall be subject to approval by the City.
If you would like to submit comments/complaints or receive the latest updated information about this project, please sign-up on our Link Light Rail eList:
Link Light Rail eList Sign-Up.
Otherwise, complaints and requests for information should be directed to Roger Pence at Sound Transit. His phone number is 206.398.5465 and his email address is roger.pence@soundtransit.org.
Related Documents
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Notice of Application for a noise variance
(Written Comments Due By 5:00pm, November 25, 2009) - Sound Transit Link Light Rail Noise Postcard
- Noise and Vibration Compliance Testing
