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Light Rail extension from SeaTac to Federal Way delayed for wetlands bridge

Light Rail passengers will have to wait even longer for a ride from SeaTac to Federal Way. Sound Transit is saying a 500-foot-long bridge needs to be built over unstable soil.

It will not only delay the project but bump up the price tag.

The extension as a whole is just shy of 8 miles and will bring riders from SeaTac to Federal Way in just 15 minutes.

Construction is already underway but unfortunately, some of the ground is not seismically sound and cannot support ordinary columns. This leaves Sound Transit with no choice but to design a new elevated trackway.

The 500-foot bridge will cost an extra $72 million, according to the Seattle Times.

The Seattle Times reports that the board voted Thursday on a $110 million increase to cover the extra costs.

Sound Transit says it hopes to have the project complete and ready to ride sometime in 2026. That would be a two-year delay from its initial goal.