Sounder Fleet Expansion Budget Amendment
Uploaded by
The UrbanistSounder Fleet Expansion Budget Amendment
Uploaded by
The UrbanistResolution No.
R2020-07
Amending the Adopted Authorized Project Allocation and 2020 Annual Budget for the
Sounder Fleet Expansion Project
Meeting: Date: Type of action: Staff contact:
System Expansion Committee 04/09/2020 Recommend to Board Paul Denison, Acting Executive
Director of Operations
Board 04/23/2020 Final action
Martin Young, Commuter Rail
Operations Manager
Proposed action
Amending the Sounder Fleet Expansion project to allow for the procurement of eight passenger coaches
by (a) increasing the authorized project allocation by $43,084,120 from $67,200,000 to $110,284,120
and (b) increasing the 2020 annual budget by $3,433,313 from $1,323,973 to $4,757,286.
Key features summary
The proposed action will fund the procurement of eight more passenger coaches needed to cover
ST3 service expansion requirements.
Delivery of the vehicles will be in 2022-2024, to support the planned service expansion to meet
anticipated ridership demand.
Seven coaches will be placed in south line Sounder service to expand the seven train sets operating
there to eight cars each; one coach will support the needed spare/maintenance needs.
This resolution supports a companion Board Motion No. M2020-27, for authorization to purchase
three cab cars and eight coaches; the three cab cars were funded through prior Board action and
independent of this resolution.
Background
The Sounder Fleet Expansion project began with ST2 and has included funding in the past for nine
additional cab cars. ST3, passed in 2016, anticipated the further expansion of service with additional
equipment. Over the last two years, Sound Transit staff have worked with a consultant to identify
Sounder south line service expansion options, and determined that expanding the length of the train
from seven to ten cars is a recommended alternative for meeting ridership demand without the need for
new easements with the host railroad, BNSF.
Expanding the trainsets incrementally with a single car per trainset will allow for a staged approach to
meeting ridership demand, in line with the expected increase in ridership over time. This approach will
also allow time to further expand the Lakewood Layover yard and station platforms to accommodate the
full planned ten car trainsets at a later time in the future.
It is anticipated that staff will return in the future for authorization to purchase additional equipment for
further expanding the South line trainsets, as factors supporting future phases of the expansion
transpire.
Fiscal information
This action funds the purchase of eight Sounder passenger coaches and costs associated with the
procurement by increasing the authorized project allocation for the Sounder Fleet Expansion project by
$43,084,120 to $110,284,120 and the annual project budget by $3,433,313 to $4,757,286.
The funding for this budget amendment is accounted for in the agency's long-range financial plan under
the Sounder South Capacity Expansion program, an ST3 voter-approved program. This program
includes provisions for increasing the Sounder fleet. Funding of $43,084,120 will be moved from the
Sounder South Capacity Expansion program to the Sounder Fleet Expansion project in the financial
plan.
Sounder Fleet Expansion
(in thousands) Annual Project Budget Authorized Project Allocation to Date
Adopted 2020 Revised 2020 Authorized Project
Budget Allocation Authorized Project
Phase Annual Project Annual Project Allocation
Revision Change Allocation (New)
Budget Budget (Current)
Agency Administration $9 $ $9 $29 $ $29
Preliminary Engineering
Final Design 370 370 7,064 7,064
Third Party Agreements
Right of Way
Construction
Construction Services
Vehicles 1,315 3,063 4,378 67,171 36,020 103,191
Contingency
Total $1,324 $3,433 $4,757 $67,200 $43,084 $110,284
Notes:
Amounts are expressed in Year of Expenditure.
Disadvantaged and small business participation
Not applicable to this action
Time constraints
A one month delay will significantly increase the estimated cost of the procurement. The proposal price
is based on keeping a manufacturing facility continuous in order to avoid costs associated with
production stoppage. A Notice to Proceed is required by the end of April 2020.
Prior Board/Committee actions
Resolution No. R2019-30: Adopted an annual budget for the period from January 1 through December
31, 2020 and adopted the 2020 Transit Improvement Plan.
Environmental review – KH 2/24/20
Legal review – AJP 4/3/2020
Resolution No. R2020-07 Page 2 of 2
Staff Report
Resolution No. R2020-07
A RESOLUTION of the Board of the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority amending the
Sounder Fleet Expansion project to allow for the procurement of eight passenger coaches by (a)
increasing the authorized project allocation by $43,084,120 from $67,200,227 to $110,284,120 and (b)
increasing the 2020 annual budget by $3,433,313 from $1,323,973 to $4,757,286.
WHEREAS, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, commonly known as Sound
Transit, was formed under chapters 81.104 and 81.112 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) for
the Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties region by action of their respective county councils pursuant
to RCW 81.112.030; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit is authorized to plan, construct, and permanently operate a high-
capacity system of transportation infrastructure and services to meet regional public transportation
needs in the Central Puget Sound region; and
WHEREAS, in general elections held within the Sound Transit district on November 5, 1996,
November 4, 2008, and November 8, 2016, voters approved local funding to implement a regional
high-capacity transportation system for the Central Puget Sound region; and
WHEREAS, in December 2019, the Board approved Resolution No. R2019-30, adopting an
annual budget for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2020, and adopting the 2020
Transit Improvement Plan; and
WHEREAS, The Sounder Fleet Expansion project began with the Sound Transit 2 System Plan
and included funding in the past for nine additional cab cars; and
WHEREAS, the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) System Plan anticipated the further expansion of
Sounder service with additional equipment; and
WHEREAS, expanding the trainsets incrementally with a single car per trainset will allow for a
staged approach to meeting ridership demand, in line with the expected increase in ridership over time,
without the need for new easements with the host railroad.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of the Central Puget Sound Regional
Transit Authority that the Sounder Fleet Expansion project is amended to allow for the procurement of
eight passenger coaches by (a) increasing the authorized project allocation by $43,084,120 from
$67,200,227 to $110,284,120 and (b) increasing the 2020 annual budget by $3,433,313 from
$1,323,973 to $4,757,286.
ADOPTED by the Board of the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority at a regular meeting
thereof held on _______________.
Kent Keel
Board Chair
Attest:
Kathryn Flores
Board Administrator