PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      7a 
STAFF BRIEFING            Date of Meeting    May 1, 2012 
DATE:    April 24, 2012 
TO:     Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Elizabeth Leavitt, Director, Aviation Planning and Environmental 
George England, Program Leader, Project Management Group 
Miles Haupt, Sound Transit, South Link Project Director 
SUBJECT:  Sound Transit South Link Project Update 
SYNOPSIS: 
On November 4, 2008, the voters of the Central Puget Sound region approved the Sound
Transit 2 ballot measure ("ST2") to provide an alternative to rising gas prices and
greenhouse gas emissions. On December 14, 2010, the Port entered into an interlocal
agreement with Sound Transit to advance the preliminary design of Sound Transit's
South Link project and the Port's future South Access roadways with the intent of
accelerating the South Link project schedule to open approximately five years earlier than
planned under Sound Transit's ST2 program. 
The South Link project will extend light rail transit approximately 1.6 miles south from
the existing SeaTac/Airport Station on an elevated guideway alignment to a new terminus
station at South 200th Street. Sound Transit estimates there will be 4,500 daily boardings
expected at the South 200th Street Station. Based on the successful coordination of the
preliminary design of our respective projects, on July 28, 2011, Sound Transit's Board of
Directors authorized the South Link project funding and schedule to begin revenue
service by September 2016. Subsequently, the Port entered into a term sheet agreement
with Sound Transit on February 7, 2012, that provided the framework for negotiation of a
memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the South Link project. The Port has committed
to relocating Port-owned utilities in advance of Sound Transit's construction work
(recently authorized) and to assist in facilitating Sound Transit in the delivery of the
South Link project. 
Continuing with this commitment, both the Port and Sound Transit have been negotiating
and preparing a MOA. This agreement is nearing completion. In preparation of the
upcoming request for the Port Commission approval of the South Link MOA, today's
presentation, primarily by Sound Transit, provides an update of the South Link project.
The briefing includes information regarding the South Link project delivery method and

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
April 24, 2012 
Page 2 of 3 
schedule milestones in addition to a brief description of the project and stakeholder
involvement. 
A summary of Port/Sound Transit coordination and previous Commission actions is 
provided in the background section of this memo and the PowerPoint presentation is
summarized in the briefing outline section. 
BACKGROUND: 
On April 27, 2010, the Port Commission authorized the Chief Executive Officer to
execute a professional services indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for
roadways planning and preliminary design services totaling $600,000. On September 9,
2010, Sound Transit's Board of Directors authorized its Chief Executive Officer to
execute an interlocal agreement with the Port to provide up to $350,000 in reimbursement
for these consultant services and Port staffing. This agreement, services and staff time
were needed to assist the Port in advancing design of the future South Airport
Expressway to facilitate Sound Transit's Light Rail design and to ensure that long-term
Airport facilities are compatible with the near-term light rail construction. Port staff has
completed 15% design of the Airport's future roadways in coordination with 30% design
of the South Link project and are continuing to work with Sound Transit to facilitate
delivery of the South Link project.
Sound Transit will be using a design-build delivery method for the elevated guideway
element of the South Link project. Port staff has provided specific language regarding the
Port's requirements to be incorporated into the contract documents that are included in
the request for proposals (RFP) packet released by Sound Transit to its shortlisted designbuild
proposer teams in February 2012. The contract documents included in the RFP
specify procedures for coordination between the Port, Sound Transit, and Sound Transit's
design-build contractor to obtain Port review and approval of certain aspects of design
and construction that could potentially impact Airport operations. On March 29, 2012,
Port staff gave a presentation to Sound Transit's shortlisted design-build proposer teams
that provided an overview of the Port's requirements for designing and building the
South Link project on Port property. Sound Transit intends to select its preferred designbuild
contractor this summer and award the contract in August 2012. 
On February 14, 2012, the Port Commission authorized the Chief Executive Officer to
design, advertise, award, and construct the relocation of several Port utilities by the
spring of 2013 in advance of Sound Transit's design-build work and to accommodate the 
South Link project for a total estimated cost of $950,000. All Port costs associated with
this work will be reimbursed in full by Sound Transit. 
The MOA being negotiated further defines the Port's role in overseeing and coordinating 
design and construction of the South Link project on Port property in addition to a
number of other items related to real estate, environmental stewardship, and financial

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
April 24, 2012 
Page 3 of 3 
responsibility. Port staff will present the MOA to the Commission for authorization on
May 8, 2012. 
BRIEFING OUTLINE: 
Interagency Agreements 
South Link Project Status 
Design Build Procurement 
Agreements 
Community Outreach 
Next Steps 
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BRIEFING: 
Power Point presentation 
Sound Transit October 2011 informational pamphlet 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS: 
April 27, 2010  Commission authorized the Chief Executive Officer to execute a
professional services indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for
roadways planning and preliminary design services totaling $600,000 for one year
with the option to extend for up to two additional years. 
May 10, 2011  Commission was briefed on the status of project coordination
between the Port and Sound Transit. The briefing covered progress on the
integration of light rail and the Port's future roadways through preliminary design,
intergovernmental agreements and next steps. 
February 14, 2012  Commission authorized the Chief Executive Officer to
design, advertise, award, and construct the relocation of several Port utilities in
advance of and to accommodate Sound Transit's South Link project for a total
estimated cost of $950,000. All costs associated with this work will be
reimbursed in full by Sound Transit.