Sound Transit announced today it will break ground on a project to expand parking for commuters using the Sounder Puyallup station. Developed in partnership with the City of Puyallup and the Puyallup Fair & Events Center, and funded by a combination of local and federal monies, the project will create 219 permanent satellite park and ride spaces at the lot located at 5th St. SW and 7th Ave SW.

Puyallup station currently provides 546 parking slots — 364 in its main lot and 182 in two lots leased from the city — for Puyallup commuters who drive to the station to take the Sounder train. In recent years, the numbers of drivers commuting to the station have exceeded parking capacity. To meet the demand, Sound Transit will grade, pave and landscape the Fair’s existing “Red Lot” across from the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. Drainage, new lighting, and a rain garden to collect stormwater from paved surfaces will also be added.

The three-month, $2.8 million project will be paid for by a $1.85 million Regional Mobility Grant from the State of Washington, a $780,000 grant secured by the City of Puyallup from the Federal Transit Administration, and $250,000 in matching funds from Sound Transit.

Just minutes from the station, the new park and ride lot will be serviced by Pierce Transit bus route 495, which will transport commuters to and from the main train station in sync with the train’s departure schedule. The upgraded lot will open for Puyallup Fair attendees this September and be available for Sounder commuter use in October.

“This idea actually came from a comment written to the newspaper,” said Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow. “It was a great suggestion! Using one lot for multiple purposes saves land, saves taxpayer money and gets everyone—the Fair, Sparks Stadium, and Sound Transit riders—a better facility to use at different hours of the day. Congratulations to whoever wrote in that comment: you really got us all working together.”

A ceremony marking the occasion will be held on Mon., May 17 at 11:00 a.m. at the Puyallup Fair “Red Lot,” Snohomish County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Aaron Reardon, Sumner Mayor and Sound Transit Boardmember Dave Enslow, State Senator Jim Kastama, Puyallup Mayor Kathy Turner, WSDOT Public Transportation Division Director Katy Taylor, and Puyallup Fair & Events Center CEO Kent Hojem will speak at the event.