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Drivers face Kent lane closure along East Pioneer Street

Published 12:25 pm Wednesday, July 22, 2026

By Steve Hunter shunter@soundpublishing.com

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A map shows where the new Sounder parking garage is under construction and the location of East Pioneer Street, which will have a partial lane closure. COURTESY GRAPHIC, Sound Transit

The south lane of East Pioneer Street in Kent will be closed from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until approximately mid-August as part of the Sound Transit Sounder parking garage project.

The closure is between Railroad Avenue North and Central Avenue North, according to Sound Transit. The north lane will be open for local access, including bus and restaurant access. Flaggers may be present. The closure started July 22.

Sound Transit is expanding access to Kent Station for its Sounder train. Improvements include a new parking garage at East James Street and Railroad Avenue North, as well as pedestrian and bus improvements. The garage and other improvements are expected to open in 2027.

Sound Transit, Kent city officials and Puyallup-based Absher Construction officially broke ground in October 2024 on the $62 million garage with 400-plus stalls. The garage is going up just south of James Street and east of the Kent Station shopping center, on property where a cold storage warehouse once sat.

City closes street July 23-24

Meanwhile, the city of Kent will close East Pioneer Street from Railroad Avenue North to Central Avenue North from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 23-24 for utility work.

Access onto East Pioneer will be closed to all but King County Metro. Traffic control will be in place.

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