Despite design changes and a worldwide pandemic, work on Sound Transit’s operations and maintenance facility remained on track.

The $235-million project is a key part of the agency’s plan to expand its light rail network, allowing for the storage and maintenance of 96 vehicles. The project also includes a maintenance of way building as well as roadway work, new sidewalks, a regional sewer line replacement and Sound Transit’s public art program. 
The first challenge faced by the project team was a significant change to the preliminary design. The design-build proposal included a stormwater plan with 800-ft-long drainage trenches designed to use infiltration to minimize the volume of the underground storage tanks. However,  the site’s soil could not support such a use, so the team more than doubled the volume of one of the tanks to 3.2 million gallons. The team worked to expedite design, adjust procurement of vaults and resequence the schedule.