Coming light rail construction: 7 things to know

The Capitol Hill Community Council invited reps from Sound Transit to provide an update on light rail status at last week's council meeting. Here are some of the things we learned:

•  The Capitol Hill station construction process will begin this winter with chain-link fences going up but digging won't begin for one year. Not sure what happens in the area during that period but it sounds like there will be one year of prep before the tunnel boring begins.
• The digging will go on for about five years.
• There will be a sound wall constructed but noise and vibration will be an issue in the construction areas.
• ST says the most noticeable impact for residents and local businesses will be the trucks moving dirt from the Hill.
• The truck route will come up Denny and return back down Olive to I-5.
• There will be an approximately 9-month period where Olive exit from I-5 will be unavailable.
• Beacon Hill went through this digging process already. Sounds like we should check in with the neighborhoods down there to see what other impacts to be prepared for.

Also got some info about status of the art design process that I will include in a separate post.