 Ernest Kandilige, Metro Deputy General Manager (left), Councilmember Balducci (middle) and Susan Fletcher, FTA Region 10 Regional Administrator (right) on a Crosslake Connection test ride
This Saturday, March 28, our region will celebrate a long-awaited moment and a global milestone—fulfilling our promise to voters and for the first time in the world, light rail will cross a floating bridge, with trains transporting riders across I-90, connecting the 1 Line and the 2 Line.
I am over the moon that this day has finally arrived. I have spent my entire political career fighting to bring light rail to the Eastside and to build out a fully connected regional light rail system.
When I started that fight many years ago as a Bellevue City Councilmember, I imagined how it would change my constituents’ lives—creating easy, affordable commutes for all kinds of workers, providing a whole new way to get around for people who can’t or don’t drive, and making travel easier for all Eastside residents.
Along the way, the vision bloomed into something I could have only dreamed of—building affordable housing right next to fast and frequent transit like in the Spring District, connecting the region to exciting and emerging cultural experiences like in the BelRed Arts District, bringing dogs and their people from across the region to the Marymoor Dog Park (“Doggie Disneyland”!), and more, all just a train ride away!
Councilmember Balducci (right) with Redmond Mayor Angela Birney (left) at the announcement of the opening
We have a full slate of celebrations planned for Saturday, starting at 9:00 AM at the Judkins Park station with a ribbon cutting and free, family-friendly activities hosted by the Northwest African American Museum. Getting to the event is easy—shuttles from Mount Baker and South Bellevue stations will be running every 15 minutes from 7:00-10:00 AM.
After the ribbon cutting, you can hop on a train around 10:00 AM in either direction, where you will find everything from “touch-a-firetruck” at South Bellevue Station to a live performance from Seattle Symphony musicians at the Symphony Station to meeting the mascot of our local cricket team, the Orcas, at Marymoor Village to a petting zoo at the Spring District and so much more!
The excitement at the new stations continues for two months afterward! Discover portraits of people who live, work, and play along the light rail line and explore the colorful installations at each station—perfect for capturing your next selfie! You can tag @SoundTransit for a chance to be featured on Sound Transit’s Instagram page.
Don’t miss out on discovering all the 1 & 2 Line fun beginning March 28!
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