Sound Transit officials announced Friday that a section of Pacific Avenue closed last summer as part of a project to connect Sounder commuter rail service between Tacoma and Lakewood will reopen on Mon., March 19 — nearly three months ahead of schedule.

The two-block section closed on June 8 so construction crews could begin the next phase of Sound Transit’s D to M Streets Sounder track and signal project. During the temporary closure, crews for MidMountain Contractors, Inc., the agency’s contractor, installed new utilities, excavated and regraded Pacific Avenue, installed new streets and sidewalks, built new walls, installed steel for the Pacific Avenue rail bridge and began work on the rail alignment from South C to M streets and the reconfiguration of South C Street. Crews also built a bypass road on South Tacoma Way, made improvements to other roads to serve as detour routes, and installed temporary traffic signals to minimize traffic disruption.

When Pacific Avenue reopens next week, crews will begin the final phase of the project. “A” Street will be permanently closed to vehicular traffic, lowered and rebuilt as a pedestrian and bicycle undercrossing. Crews will also bring South C Street to a new street grade to support an at-grade rail crossing. Tacoma Rail tracks also will be rebuilt.

When the final 1.4-mile segment of the project is complete, Sounder commuter rail service to Lakewood will be delivered in late 2012.

“MidMountain crews have been working hard to complete the second of three construction phases,” reported Sound Transit officials on the transportation agency’s Web site. “This is a major milestone for the D-to-M Streets project. That being said, there is still a great amount of work to be done and traffic control in the final months of this project. The goal is to complete construction this summer, engage in operations testing and open Sounder service to South Tacoma and Lakewood late this year.”

On Thurs., March 15, Sound Transit and the Dome District Development Group will offer a walking tour and sneak peek of the work under way at Pacific Avenue. The walking tour begins at 4 p.m. followed by a social meeting at 4:30 p.m. at Cheers, located at 2611 Pacific Ave.

More information is online at http://www.soundtransit.org/DtoM .

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‘Milestone’ moment for Sounder D to M project (12/08/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2082621&more=0

Crane overturns in Dome District (07/06/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2002860&more=0

Pac Ave section downtown closes June 8 for Sound Transit construction (06/02/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1985195&more=0

Downtown Tacoma motel razed for Sounder service expansion (03/25/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1947973&more=0

Sound Transit to discuss South Sound Sounder Station improvements (01/04/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1902288&more=0

Sound Transit to award Sounder D-to-M Streets contract (08/26/10) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1828866&more=0

Sound Transit expands Sounder south service (07/22/10) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1810304&more=0

Pac Ave drivers prepare for Sounder expansion project (03/16/10) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1734213&more=0