Local News

Light rail to 272nd endorsed by Des Moines Council

By Ruth Wetzel Branson

Monday, July 21, 2008

On July 10, the Des Moines City Council approved a draft resolution to the South Transit board of directors endorsing a South Transit 2 plan for light rail.

Council supported the extension of light rail to South 272nd Street and encouraged further extension to Tacoma.

Mayor Bob Sheckler emphasized that the council does not want light rail to stop permanently at 272nd Street.

The Sound Transit Board is meeting July 24 to make final decisions about an expansion package and to decide on ballot timing.

Sound Transit may present a plan to voters either this fall.

"Sound Transit has been promising to go all the way to Tacoma and that's what we've endorsed all these years," Sheckler said.

He added that, at this point, it looks like Sound Transit doesn't have enough money to implement light rail to Tacoma.

"Now they're talking about having it put on the ballot to raise more money," Sheckler said.

Des Moines lawmakers took no action July 17.

Discussion items were a Midway planning project based on recent "Envision Midway" Stakeholder Committee meetings and a Marina District enhancement plan,

The marina plan was presented by Prof. Jim Nicholls and two students from the University of Washington Department of Architecture.