Seattle: Light-rail start to U District, Capitol Hill may come early

Light-rail start to U District, Capitol Hill may come early
Sound Transit says the light-rail extension from downtown to Capitol Hill and the University District could open several months early.

By Mike Lindblom
Seattle Times transportation reporter


Construction is going smoothly enough that Sound Transit thinks it can bring light-rail service to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington by early 2016, instead of its official goal of Sept. 24, 2016.

An earlier start would be good news for thousands of students, staff and medical-center personnel who crowd into buses between the UW and the Westlake Station transit hub.

Transit executives are optimistic because the construction schedule has six months of “float” — excess schedule days to absorb any problems — and the heavy tunnel and station work is 75 percent done, including risky bores under the Montlake Cut, Capitol Hill and Interstate 5.

And the $1.95 billion project is trending toward having its entire $105 million reserve left over, said Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl. ......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021906951_railopeningxml.html