Station Construction Kickoff

On July 13, 2016, the community celebrated the start of construction of the new Amtrak Cascades Station in Freighthouse Square, with a ceremony held on the project site by City, State and railroad officials, joined by the Amtrak Station Citizen Advisory Committee and community activists.  

For background and status of the project, please visit the following website maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT):

Amtrak Station Citizen Advisory Committee

The Committee was formed in February 2013 jointly by the Directors of the Planning and Development Services Department and the Community and Economic Development Department to engage the community in the review of the proposed location and design of the Amtrak train station at the Freighthouse Square, 2051 East ‘D’ Street. 

The Committee met approximately 16 times between February 2013 and June 2016 (mostly in 2013 and 2014).  Background information was reviewed and presentations were made by the WSDOT, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, Tacoma Planning and Development Services, and the American Institute of Architects.  

One of the Committee’s goals was to identify issues potentially in conflict with the long-term goals of the Dome District and make recommendations relevant to the probable siting and design of the Amtrak Station.  At the time, the City was working on South Downtown Subarea Plan (later adopted in December 2013), which had already identified potential conflicts of the new station proposal with the District goals.  The Committee tended towards a holistic approach to accomplishing its mission, recognizing that many of the issues it was tasked to address, such as parking, vehicular and pedestrian circulation and safety, wayfinding, urban design, and the District’s historic and present characters were genuinely inter-related. 

Posted below are some of the early work of the Committee.  Of note is a Recommendations Report transmitted to WSDOT in May of 2013.

Transmittal Letter - May 1, 2013 (PDF)
Committee Recommendations Report - May 1, 2013 (PDF)
South Downtown Subarea Plan Webpage
Draft Meeting Notes - December 9, 2013 (PDF)
Minutes - April 15, 2013 (PDF)
Minutes - March 18, 2013 (PDF)
Minutes - March 11, 2013 (PDF)
Minutes - March 25, 2013 (PDF)
Minutes - February 25, 2013 (PDF)

Staff Contact

Ian Munce
(253) 573-2478
email