Star Lake station

{{Short description|Future light rail station in Kent, Washington}}

{{Infobox station

| name = Star Lake

| style = Sound Transit

| type = Link light rail station

| image =

| image_caption =

| address =

| borough = Kent, Washington

| country = United States

| coordinates = {{coord|47.3588|N|122.2975|W|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:railwaystation_region:US-WA}}

| owned = Sound Transit

| line =

| platform = 1 island platform

| tracks = 2

| connections =

| structure = Elevated

| parking =

| bicycle =

| accessible =

| opening = 2026

| passengers =

| services = {{Adjacent stations|system1=Sound Transit|header1=File:Sound Transit Link Light Rail logo.svg

|header2=Future service

|line2=1 Line|left2=Kent Des Moines|right2=Federal Way Downtown|type2=Federal Way

}}

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |line=none |marker=rail-light |marker-color=#{{rcr|Sound Transit|1 Line}} |zoom=15 }}

}}

Star Lake station is a future light rail station in southwestern Kent, Washington, United States. It is part of the Link light rail system, operated by Sound Transit, and is being constructed for the Federal Way Link Extension. The station will be located at the existing Star Lake Park and Ride, adjacent to the intersection of Interstate 5 and South 272nd Street.

Construction of the station was originally approved by voters in the 2008 Sound Transit 2 ballot measure, but deferred two years later after a funding shortfall.{{cite web |date=December 16, 2010 |title=Sound Transit Motion No. M2010-102 |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/about/board/motions/2010/Motion_M2010-102.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=May 3, 2016 |archive-date=June 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604151446/http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/about/board/motions/2010/Motion_M2010-102.pdf |url-status=dead }} The Sound Transit 3 ballot measure, passed in 2016, re-instated funding and approval for the station, as well as an extension to Federal Way Transit Center.{{cite news |last=Dawson |first=Rachel |date=January 30, 2017 |title=Officials reach agreement on Federal Way Link Extension's impact to Mark Twain Elementary |url=http://www.federalwaymirror.com/news/officials-reach-agreement-on-federal-way-link-extensions-impact-to-mark-twain-elementary/ |work=Federal Way Mirror |accessdate=September 4, 2017}} The extension is scheduled to open in 2026.{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Wetlands bridge adds delay and $72 million to light-rail project |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/wetlands-bridge-adds-delay-and-72-million-to-light-rail-project/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=July 5, 2023}}

History

Star Lake station is planned to have platforms on an elevated embankment attached to a 1,240-stall parking garage near the intersection of Interstate 5 and South 272nd Street.{{cite web |date=March 29, 2016 |title=Kent/Des Moines to Federal Way Transit Center Light Rail |url=https://st32.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/InteractiveMap/Templates/LRT_KentDesMoinestoFederalWay.pdf |work=Sound Transit 3 Draft Plan |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=May 3, 2016}}{{cite press release |date=July 23, 2015 |title=Sound Transit Board identifies preferred alternative for light rail extension to Kent/Des Moines, Federal Way |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/preferred-alternative-for-fwle |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=May 3, 2016 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924104828/http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/preferred-alternative-for-fwle |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Steve |date=December 30, 2015 |title=Sound Transit proposals could benefit Kent |url=http://www.kentreporter.com/news/363854111.html |newspaper=Kent Reporter |accessdate=May 3, 2016}} The existing park-and-ride at the site, opened in January 1981 by Metro Transit,{{cite news |date=January 30, 1981 |title=Metro Puts Service Expansion in Action |page=A3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}} closed on March 22, 2020, to prepare for light rail construction on the site.{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Steve |date=March 17, 2020 |title=Star Lake Park-and-Ride lot in Kent to close March 22 |url=https://www.kentreporter.com/news/star-lake-park-and-ride-lot-in-kent-to-close-march-22/ |work=Kent Reporter |accessdate=March 29, 2020}}

An alternative option that was not chosen as the preferred route in July 2015 would have placed the station at the intersection of State Route 99 and South 272nd Street, closer to the Redondo neighborhood in Des Moines.{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=July 23, 2015 |title=Sound Transit board favors I-5 light-rail route from SeaTac to Federal Way |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/sound-transit-board-favors-i-5-light-rail-route-from-seatac-to-federal-way/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 3, 2016}}

The station's location was finalized in January 2017, after negotiations with Federal Way Public Schools over the impacts to an elementary school on the south side of South 272nd Street. The school district planned to construct a new elementary school at the Redondo Park and Ride on State Route 99, while the current site would be used for light rail construction.{{cite news |last=Dawson |first=Rachel |date=January 30, 2017 |title=Officials reach agreement on Federal Way Link Extension's impact to Mark Twain Elementary |url=http://www.federalwaymirror.com/news/officials-reach-agreement-on-federal-way-link-extensions-impact-to-mark-twain-elementary/ |work=Federal Way Mirror |accessdate=September 4, 2017}}{{cite news |last=Lynn |first=Adam |date=February 26, 2017 |title=School might have to jump out of the way for light rail |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/traffic/article133022569.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=May 23, 2023}} The plan was contingent on the passage of a bond measure in 2018, which was passed by voters.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In 2022, the station was officially named for Star Lake, replacing its working name of South 272nd Street.{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Steve |date=June 27, 2022 |title=Sound Transit approves light rail station names in Kent, Federal Way |url=https://www.federalwaymirror.com/news/sound-transit-approves-light-rail-station-names-in-kent-federal-way/ |work=Federal Way Mirror |accessdate=October 11, 2022}}

References

External links

[http://www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/Federal-Way-Link-Extension Federal Way Link Extension]

Category:Future Link light rail stations

Category:Federal Way, Washington

Category:Link light rail stations in King County, Washington

Category:Railway stations scheduled to open in 2026