Sound Transit has released its draft environmental impact statement related to the siting of an operations and maintenance facility on the Eastside that will need to be built by 2020, three years prior to the anticipated start of East Link light rail service.

The statement evaluates four alternatives for where to store and maintain additional fleet that can’t be stored at the Seattle facility in SODO due to capacity issues. The public has until June 23 to submit comments and a public hearing at the Coast Bellevue Hotel is slated for 5:30 p.m. June 5, with an open house from 5-7 p.m.

An option to construct an operations and maintenance facility in Bellevue between the Eastside Rail Corridor and 120th Avenue Northeast — south of SR-520 — was determined to be the cheapest of the alternatives. It would take up about 23 of the 27 acres on the site, leaving four acres for redevelopment. Due to zoning, Sound Transit would require a conditional use permit for this alternative. There is also a modified version of this plan.

Another option would construct the facility on a 25-acre site south of SR-520, north of Northeast 20th Street, east of 130th Avenue Northeast and west of 140th Avenue Northeast. It has been deemed the second-most expensive alternative being considered. According to a summary of the DEIS, a preferred alternative has not yet been identified by Sound Transit.

To review the DEIS and find out more about the project, go to this shortened site: http://bit.ly/1hCM992