Light rail project in Seattle could mean jobs for contractors in Snohomish County

Published 9:32 pm Sunday, October 5, 2008

EVERETT — Construction of light rail in Seattle could provide opportunities for businesses in Snohomish County.

Sound Transit is set to have a meeting on Thursday evening in Everett to provide an overview on contracting opportunities.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from prime contractors,” said Bruce Gray, a spokesman for Sound Transit, which provides transit service in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

The agency plans to start extending light rail from downtown Seattle to the University of Washington in December. Ten contracts are expected to be advertised for bid through 2013.

The $1.7 billion project is expected to wrap up in 2016, Gray said. The cost estimate includes an $813 million grant from the Federal Transportation Administration.

Meanwhile, the initial segment of light rail is set to open for service in July between downtown Seattle and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Gray said. Construction is almost complete.

Light rail could be extended to Snohomish County in the future. Voters are set to decide on Sound Transit’s $17.9 billion package of mass transit projects. If voters approve the package, the agency plans to bring light rail to Lynnwood by 2013.

“We have to get a voter approval before we can really move ahead,” Gray said.

Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.