T Line (Sound Transit)
T Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other name(s) | Tacoma Link Orange Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Operational | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owner | Sound Transit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Tacoma, Washington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini |
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Stations | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | soundtransit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Light rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
System | Link light rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | Sound Transit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock |
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Daily ridership | 3,109 (2019, weekdays) standard gauge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | Overhead line, 750 V DC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating speed | 25 mph (40 km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The T Line, formerly known as Tacoma Link, is a
Tacoma Link was approved in a regional transit
Sound Transit extended the T Line by 2.4 miles (3.9 km) to the Stadium District and the Hilltop area west of Downtown Tacoma on September 16, 2023. A longer western extension to the Tacoma Community College campus via South 19th Street is planned to open by 2041.
History
Background and proposals
Public transit service in Tacoma began with the opening of the city's first horse-drawn streetcar line on May 30, 1888, running on Pacific Avenue between Downtown and Old Town.[2] The city's streetcar system was expanded and electrified, growing to 125 miles (201 km) by 1912 and serving outlying areas while feeding into the Seattle–Tacoma Interurban.[3] The streetcar and cable car network was gradually replaced with motor buses, with the final streetcar leaving service on June 11, 1938.[4][5] Bus service in Tacoma was gradually consolidated under the Tacoma Transit Company, which was acquired by the city in 1961 and folded into Pierce Transit in 1980.[5]
A regional transit system, later named Sound Transit, was formed in the early 1990s to address traffic congestion in the region and proposed several projects for the Tacoma area.[6] Tacoma had been targeted for urban revitalization, particularly around the University of Washington branch that opened in 1990.[7][8] Among the proposed revitalization projects was the construction of a multimodal station near the Tacoma Dome that would be connected to Downtown Tacoma by a "shuttle" light rail line, costing approximately $40 million to construct. The Tacoma Dome Station would also be served by commuter rail and a regional light rail line continuing north to Federal Way, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, and Seattle.[6][9][10] A combined light rail line that served both Downtown Tacoma and the Tacoma–Seattle corridor was part of a $6.7 billion ballot measure that was rejected by voters in March 1995, but planning for the multimodal Tacoma Dome Station continued.[11][12]
Approval and planning
A
Route planning for the Downtown Tacoma line, named "Tacoma Link", began in early 1998 with the intent to create a new transportation connection to downtown retail and cultural attractions.
The Commerce Street alignment was favored by the Tacoma city government, but a final decision by the city council and Sound Transit was delayed in favor of further studies.[23][24] The Pacific Avenue option was narrowly favored by downtown businesses due to its increased traffic, but Commerce Street was seen as a less controversial route that would allow for easier expansion to the Stadium District.[25][26] The city council approved the Commerce Street alignment in May 1999, and Sound Transit followed suit in July.[27][28] Sound Transit also endorsed studies into making Tacoma Link a fare-free system due to projections that the costs of fare collection would exceed revenue on the line.[29] Designs for the line's five stations were completed in early 2000, based on simple stations with unique design elements that reflect neighborhood identity.[30]
Construction and disputes
Construction of the light rail line near the Tacoma Dome began in August 2000, resulting in a reduction in parking that drew complaints from business owners.[31] A formal groundbreaking was held on October 18, 2000, shortly after the commencement of Sounder commuter rail service to Tacoma Dome Station.[32] Work on the downtown section was delayed into the following year due to a contract dispute and design changes to avoid buried telecommunications systems.[33][34] During bidding for the $25 million construction contract, a low bid was rejected due to not meeting Sound Transit's small business participation standards.[35] Gary Merlino Construction was awarded the contract in February 2001 and began in July;[36] construction on the line's operations and maintenance facility in the Dome District had already begun a month earlier under a separate subcontractor.[37]
The transition between Pacific Avenue and Commerce Street near the future
As light rail construction prepared to reach Commerce Street, Qwest filed a lawsuit against Sound Transit to receive compensation for relocating its telecommunications lines away from the tracks;[48] a U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of Sound Transit, due to the use of public right of way by Qwest for their telecommunications lines.[49] Another dispute, with BNSF Railway over a railroad crossing on Pacific Avenue that would intersect the light rail tracks, was settled in January 2003 with an agreement to suspend freight operations through the intersection.[50][51] Commerce Street was re-opened for use by buses in February 2003 as light rail construction neared completion.[52] The final section of track was welded in place in early April, marking the ceremonial end of track construction, and the installation of overhead power systems began later in the month.[53] Testing of the streetcars began on June 18, 2003, as the line was electrified for the first time 65 years after the discontinuation of the original streetcar network.[54] The first accident for the new line occurred during testing on August 5, when a delivery truck driver scraped a streetcar while illegally parked on the tracks.[55]
Opening and later projects
Tacoma Link opened for service on August 22, 2003, becoming the first modern light rail system in
Prior to the start of light rail service, the
The city government also proposed the construction of an
Hilltop Extension
A 2.4-mile-long (3.9 km) extension of the T Line from Downtown Tacoma to the
The Hilltop Extension was approved by voters as part of the
The T Line suspended operations and was replaced with shuttle buses for ten weeks beginning in August 2022 to connect the extension's tracks, electrical infrastructure, and other systems to the existing line.
The extension was expected to open in early 2023, but was delayed to later in the year due to construction issues that were identified after track installation.[86][87] Sound Transit attributed some of the delay to incorrect city records on the location of utility lines as well as change orders for catenary pole installation.[88] Construction was completed in July 2023, and testing with "simulated service" began that same month with reduced frequency on the entire line.[89][90] The extension cost $282 million to construct and is projected to increase daily ridership to 2,000 to 4,000 by 2026 and over 10,800 by 2035.[76][91] It has spurred transit-oriented development in Hilltop and the Stadium District, including several multi-family residential buildings that opened in the 2020s.[92][93]
Route
The T Line is 4 miles (6.4 km) long and generally runs
T Line trains then turn north onto Pacific Avenue and travel in the median for several blocks parallel to Interstate 705, splitting into two tracks after South 21st Street.
On Commerce Street, Link trains share lanes with mixed traffic through a major
Stations
The six original stations on the T Line are built with 90-foot (27 m) platforms that are long enough to accommodate one car at a time, but were designed to support further expansion for multi-car trains.[102] Each station features shelters, seating, rider information, and public artwork that reflects the history of the surrounding neighborhood.[103][104] Each station on the Hilltop Extension has decorative canopies designed by Tacoma artist Kenji Hamai Stoll.[81]
† | Former station |
* | Future station |
Station[97] | Image | Opened | Connections and notes[97] |
---|---|---|---|
Tacoma Dome Station | August 22, 2003[105] | Connections to Sounder commuter rail and Sound Transit Express | |
South 25th Street | August 22, 2003[105] | ||
Union Station/South 19th Street | August 22, 2003[105] | ||
Convention Center/South 15th Street | August 22, 2003[105] | ||
Theater District | September 15, 2011[69] | Originally named Commerce Street/South 11th Street | |
Theater District/South 9th Street †
|
August 22, 2003[105] | Closed on August 1, 2022, and relocated to Old City Hall[76] | |
Old City Hall | September 16, 2023[106] | Relocated from Theater District/South 9th Street[76] | |
South 4th Street | September 16, 2023[106] | ||
Stadium District | September 16, 2023[106] | ||
Tacoma General | September 16, 2023[106] | ||
6th Avenue | September 16, 2023[106] | ||
Hilltop District | September 16, 2023[106] | ||
St. Joseph | September 16, 2023[106] |
Service
T Line trains run 18 hours per day on weekdays, from 4:30 am to 10:30 pm, 15 hours per day on Saturdays, from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm, and 8 hours per day on Sundays and holidays, from 9:40 am to 6:30 pm.[107] Trains operate at a frequency of every 12 minutes during the day on weekdays and Saturdays and every 20 minutes on Sundays, some holidays, and during early morning and evening service on weekdays.[108][76] Operating hours are occasionally extended into the late evening for events at the Tacoma Dome, with trains running more frequently.[17][109]
The T Line takes approximately 23 minutes to traverse its entire route from the Tacoma Dome Station to St. Joseph station.[107] A maximum of two trains are able to operate on the original T Line section due to the single-track section between Union Station and Tacoma Dome Station.[108] Prior to the opening of Commerce Street/South 11th Street station in 2011, trains ran at frequencies of 10 minutes during the day and 20 minutes during other hours.[17] A restoration of 10-minute frequencies was planned as part of the Hilltop Extension's opening in 2023, but was reduced to 12 minutes due to operational issues and a lack of break time for drivers.[76]
Ridership
The T Line carried a total of 934,724 passengers in 2019, averaging 3,109 riders on weekdays.[1] Ridership on the line fluctuates based on several factors, including special events scheduled at the Tacoma Dome or hosted in Downtown Tacoma, and class times at the University of Washington campus in Tacoma.[110] T Line patronage peaked at 1.024 million annual riders in 2012, but has since declined due to the loss of several major downtown employers.[111] Total ridership from 2017 to 2018 declined by 7.6 percent year over year due to the closure of the Tacoma Dome for renovations, but rebounded in 2019.[1] Ridership fell to under a half-million total passengers in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[112]
Year | Ridership | %± |
---|---|---|
2003 | 266,600 | — |
2004 | 794,582 | +198.0% |
2005 | 884,895 | +11.4% |
2006 | 885,397 | +0.1% |
2007 | 919,013 | +3.8% |
2008 | 930,632 | +1.3% |
2009 | 889,320 | −4.4% |
2010 | 871,793 | −2.0% |
2011 | 972,429 | +11.5% |
2012 | 1,024,053 | +5.3% |
2013 | 1,000,316 | −2.3% |
2014 | 963,694 | −3.7% |
2015 | 980,705 | +1.8% |
2016 | 937,885 | −3.6% |
2017 | 972,405 | +3.7% |
2018 | 897,642 | −7.7% |
2019 | 934,724 | +4.1% |
2020 | 433,247 | −53.6% |
2021 | 371,938 | −14.2% |
2022 | 267,510 | −30.8% |
Sources: Sound Transit,[113][114] APTA[115] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Fares
Fares were originally not charged on the T Line, with operating costs covered by Sound Transit and $29,000 annually from the Tacoma Business Improvement Area.[116] Sound Transit chose to launch the service without fares due to the cost of collection exceeding projected revenues.[62] A budget shortfall caused by the late 2000s recession caused Sound Transit to consider a $1 fare in 2010, but the decision was pushed to a later date.[117][118]
The Sound Transit Board approved a $1 base fare in September 2013 that would take effect the following year. It would be increased to $1.50 in 2016 to cover the cost of fare enforcement and installation of
The Tacoma Business Improvement Area agreed to renew its $29,000 annual subsidy in April 2016, covering the equivalent of a $2 fare until the opening of the Hilltop Extension.[124] A $2 adult fare and $1 reduced fare for low-income adults, senior citizens, and disabled adults was implemented and collected beginning with the opening of the Hilltop Extension in September 2023.[106] Fares for passengers under the age of 18 are waived as part of a statewide program.[125]
Rolling stock and equipment
The T Line fleet consists of eight low-floor articulated
The first three streetcars are Škoda 10 Ts, numbered 1001 to 1003,[110][129] that were manufactured in the Czech Republic by Škoda Transportation. They are identical to cars used by the Portland Streetcar system in Portland, Oregon.[46][105][130] Each Škoda streetcar has 30 seats and can carry an additional 85 passengers at crush load.[131] They each weigh 31 short tons (28,123 kg; 28 long tons) and can reach a top speed of 25 miles per hour (40 km/h).[56] They are unable to be coupled and draw their electrical power from overhead catenary that is energized at 750 volts direct current.[102]
The second generation of T Line vehicles are five
Future expansion
Tacoma Community College Extension
An extension beyond the Hilltop neighborhood to the Tacoma Community College campus in western Tacoma was funded by the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure, approved by voters in 2016.[135] It is scheduled to open in 2039 or 2041 depending on available funding and construction costs.[136] The 3.5-mile-long (5.6 km) extension would use South 19th Street and stop at six stations, carrying approximately 18,000 daily riders and costing up to $478 million.[137] Train frequency would be increased to six minutes during peak periods and a section of the original line near Union Station would be double-tracked.[138]
References
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- ^ a b c d e f g h "Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension opens for passengers tomorrow" (Press release). Sound Transit. September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "T Line schedule: Tacoma Dome—St. Joseph" (PDF). Sound Transit. September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "Sound Transit Service Standards and Performance Measures, 2018 Edition" (PDF). Sound Transit. 2018. p. 21. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Ellouk, Bernard (October 30, 2017). "Sound Transit will make it easier to get to Garth Brooks concerts". KING 5 News. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ a b "2019 Service Implementation Plan" (PDF). Sound Transit. November 2018. pp. 58, 213. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
- ^ Lynn, Adam (December 21, 2016). "Tacoma Link ridership heads downhill". The News Tribune. p. A1. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ "Q4 2020 Service Delivery Quarterly Performance Report" (PDF). Sound Transit. February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ "Service planning and ridership documents". Sound Transit. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
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- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2003" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. August 3, 2004. p. 33. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ Lynn, Adam (April 29, 2016). "Tacoma Link rides to remain free indefinitely". The News Tribune. p. A10. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Kamb, Lewis (September 27, 2010). "Free Tacoma Link rides over?". The News Tribune. p. A1.
- ^ Matthews, Todd (October 19, 2010). "Free Passage: Sound Transit holds off on charging for downtown Link light rail service". Tacoma Daily Index. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ Carson, Rob (September 27, 2013). "Board OKs $1 adult Link fares next year". The News Tribune. p. A1.
- ^ Carson, Rob (September 20, 2013). "Link riders blast plan to charge passengers". The News Tribune. p. A3.
- ^ Carson, Rob (August 12, 2013). "Transit considering fares for Link riders". The News Tribune. p. A1.
- ^ Cafazzo, Debbie (May 19, 2014). "Downtown group offers to pay Link riders' way". The News Tribune. p. A1.
- ^ "Business Improvement Area to pay to delay Tacoma Link fares for two years" (Press release). Sound Transit. May 22, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ Lynn, Adam (April 27, 2016). "Deal to keep Tacoma Link rides free for now nearing approval". The News Tribune. p. A3. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ Sailor, Craig (August 21, 2023). "It's finally here: Sound Transit announces beginning of Hilltop trolley extension". The News Tribune. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Skoda breaks into the urban market". Railway Gazette International. April 1, 2001. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Final new light rail vehicle arrives for Hilltop Tacoma link" (Press release). Sound Transit. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
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- ^ ISSN 0160-6913.
- ^ "How it's built: Vehicles". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ "The Tacoma Link Light Rail Vehicles are Coming!" (Press release). Sound Transit. July 25, 2002. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Metzger, Katie (March 30, 2022). "Fresh pics: New light rail vehicle arrives in Tacoma". The Platform. Sound Transit. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ "Sound Transit orders five additional light rail vehicles for Tacoma Link Extension to Stadium, Hilltop neighborhoods" (Press release). Sound Transit. November 16, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Vantuono, William C. (December 7, 2017). "Sound Transit finalizes Brookville contract". Railway Age. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Lindblom, Mike (November 14, 2016). "Where Sound Transit 3 projects could speed up or slow down". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
- ^ Needles, Allison (August 9, 2021). "Sound Transit has $6.5 billion ST3 budget gap. What does that mean for Tacoma projects?". The News Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ "Tacoma preps for light rail expansion". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. November 8, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ "Tacoma Link Extension to Tacoma Community College" (PDF). Sound Transit 3 Draft Plan. Sound Transit. March 29, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
External links
- Media related to Tacoma Link at Wikimedia Commons
- Tacoma Link schedule
- Tacoma Link Expansion: Hilltop Extension