After long delay, Federal Way light rail may open earlier than expected

There is some good news for Federal Way residents.

The Federal Way light rail extension is expected to open earlier than expected, The Urbanist reported Thursday.

However, while the light rail could open at the end of 2025 instead of early 2026, Sound Transit is not ahead of its original schedule.

Federal Way light rail delayed multiple times

In 2023, KIRO Newsradio reported that the Federal Way light rail would be delayed another year and wouldn’t be open until 2026, making it a two-year setback.

The light rail extension was 70% done in 2023 when crews were hit with a bump in the road.

Contractors had to build a 500-foot-long bridge over unstable soil. The original plan was to build flat rail tracks, but following the discovery, there was concern that a single seismic event could disrupt the rail.

Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell said Sound Transit did study the soil before construction, but failed to find anything wrong until May 2023.

“They [Sound Transit] were required to do it before,” Ferrell said. “Then I think that it was so heavily wooded in that area, that it wasn’t really till they got a lot of those trees out. And they really kind of figured out what they had with the trees gone.”

He noted that “nobody likes delays,” but for a critical project, it’s important to get everything right.

“My comparison is when I’m getting on a plane, or if I’m on a plane, and they’re saying, ‘Well, we gotta do some work for security, for the safety of the plane.’ My attitude is, take your time, get it right,” Ferrell said.

The exact opening date for the Federal Way light rail is still being finalized, according to The Urbanist. When it’s up and running, riders will be able to travel between downtown Federal Way and Westlake in less than an hour.

Contributing: KIRO Newsradio

Follow Julia Dallas on X. Read her stories here. Submit news tips here.