| Welcome to the winter edition of Sound Transit’s CTR newsletter! We’ve pulled together service- and project-related highlights into one handy place for you to forward to your employees or professional network.
The Link light rail system is a huge regional investment, and we work hard to keep it in good repair.
That can mean making hard choices, especially when it comes to scheduling maintenance work that we know will inconvenience our passengers.
We need to prioritize maintenance that keeps our existing 1 Line in great shape, especially as we get ready to welcome thousands more passengers per day when trains extend to Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood this year.
What this means for you:
Starting Saturday, Jan. 13, through the end of service on Sunday, Feb. 4:
- On weekdays, 1 Line trains will run only every 26 minutes between Northgate and Angle Lake.
- Additional weekday trains will run between Northgate–University of Washington and between Stadium–Angle Lake for combined service every 13 minutes in these areas.
- If you board at stations outside of Capitol Hill or downtown Seattle, you’ll need to stay alert to which train you choose. Half of the trains will serve all stations along the 1 Line, while the other half will terminate at either University of Washington or Stadium stations. If your destination is downtown or Capitol Hill, you may wait for the full-service train or ride the additional service train to UW or Stadium stations, and then wait 13 minutes to transfer to the next train that goes all the way through.
- On weekends during this period, trains will run every 15 minutes between Northgate–Capitol Hill and between SODO–Angle Lake. Bus shuttles every 10-15 minutes will replace trains between Capitol Hill–SODO and serve all closed stations.
By scheduling these projects during the time of year when our ridership is at its lowest, we’re hoping to limit the number of passengers we affect, avoid overcrowding, and complete this work before we welcome thousands more riders aboard when Lynnwood Link opens later in 2024.
Once this work is complete, rides will be smoother, safer, and more reliable for all 1 Line passengers. To take advantage of this disruption and reduce future passenger inconvenience, we’re also tackling five other minor tunnel maintenance projects during this time.
Keep up with our blog, The Platform, in the coming weeks for more information about the disruption and tips on how to navigate it.
Sound Transit Fare Ambassadors are now issuing warnings, violations, and civil infractions for 1 Line, Sounder, and T Line passengers riding without proof of payment.
When approached by a Fare Ambassador, passengers should be prepared to show proof of payment, including a tapped ORCA card, a ticket, or the Transit Go Ticket app.
Under Sound Transit’s updated policy, passengers without proof of payment will receive two warnings in a 12-month period. On the third and fourth infractions without proof of payment, riders will be issued violations that can be resolved within Sound Transit through non-monetary options, or with a $50 fine for the third violation and a $75 fine for the fourth violation.
Five or more instances of riding without proof of payment in a 12-month period will result in a civil infraction, which may be referred to the district court.
Fares provide a crucial source of funding to operate our regional transit system. To make sure everyone has access to transit, there are many options for free and reduced fares, including ORCA LIFT or a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) for those who qualify. Youth 18 and under also ride free.
Sound Transit has made changes to its fare compliance policies and practices over the last several years to make them more passenger-focused and equitable. Visit Sound Transit’s Fare Engagement Page for more information.
On December 15, Sound Transit launched a new blog called LifeSTyle that highlights the incredible things passengers can do using Sound Transit services. You may have seen the first few articles — “Where to volunteer this holiday season” or “Where to ice skate this winter” — or maybe you saw us give away tickets to The Model Train Fest in Tacoma, or our most recent giveaway of two passes to see “Dinosaur Jr.” at The Neptune.
Using short form video and listicle-style blog posts, LifeSTyle showcases places to eat, shows to attend, games to see, trails to hike, and everything in between, along with a calendar of can’t-miss-events. Essentially, if it is happening in the region, and you can access it via transit, you can find it on LifeSTyle.
The best part? Our riders are entered to win amazing prizes just for signing up for LifeSTyle email updates. We are already working with the Tacoma Dome, Seattle Theatre Group, 5th Avenue Theatre, and more to curate the most exciting giveaways possible.
The Puget Sound is a rich tapestry of natural wonders, urban innovation, incredible cuisine, and cultural heritage. This new and exciting project from Sound Transit will serve as your guide to the many adventures, sights, and activities this region has to offer.
In October, Sound Transit conducted engagement on Link fares and parking. Engagement for Link fares focused on two options: a flat rate of $3, $3.25, or $3.50, or an increase to the distance-based rate of $0.25 or $0.50. The preliminary engagement results showed that survey respondents favored continuing with an updated distance-based fare option with 50.14% versus a new flat rate option at 49.86%.
While the engagement results show a slight preference for the updated distance-based fare option, the 0.28% preference was not great enough to substantiate a clear preference between the two options.
After much deliberation, the Sound Transit Board has approved a new flat fare system for Link light rail. The adult fare will be $3 per trip. The flat fare will go into effect in fall 2024, coinciding with the opening of the Lynnwood Link Extension. ORCA LIFT and Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) fares will not be affected, and youth 18 and under ride for free. The change simplifies fares, allows for fare capping in the future, and addresses equity concerns. For more information, including the full engagement report, visit our website.
Sound Transit is partnering with Move Redmond to host a safety video competition for K-12 students!
The 2 Line is planned to open in spring 2024, and we are so excited to expand service in Bellevue and Redmond! Light rail will make it easier to get where you want to go on the Eastside. We want everyone to be aware of the change in their environment — especially in the BelRed neighborhood, where the 2 Line will operate at street level.
Students in Bellevue and Lake Washington School districts can submit a vertical format video on the theme of the contest: Practicing Safe Habits around Light Rail. More art contests will be held across the region as we continue to open new service areas.
For more inspiration, Sound Transit’s core safety messages are:
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Look both ways. Trains come from both directions, so always expect a second train!
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Headphones off, screens down. It’s important to stay alert to be safe.
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Take crosswalks, not shortcuts. Trains always have the right of way, so pay attention to crossing signals.
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Stay behind the yellow line. The yellow strip creates a barrier between the train and the platform.
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Bike smart, ride safe. When you’re riding a bike, always cross tracks at a 90-degree angle to prevent getting stuck.
Video contest guidelines
2 Line safety video submissions accepted at moveredmond.org/2-line-safety-video-contest.
- Open to K-12 students in the Bellevue and Lake Washington school districts.
- Limit one entry per student; no group entries.
- Videos must be on-theme: Practicing Safe Habits around Light Rail.
- Videos should be filmed in vertical format and should be no longer than 60 seconds.
- Submissions should include an artist’s statement from the student about the video and safety in and around transportation.
- Submissions close on Feb. 16, 2024, and winners will be announced before the 2 Line opens.
Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place!
Selected winners will receive a cash prize and have their videos displayed on Sound Transit’s social media. This contest is open to K-12 students in Bellevue School District and Lake Washington School District.
K-5th grades | cash prizes ranging from $100-250
6th-8th grades | cash prizes ranging from $100-250
9th-12th grades | cash prizes ranging from $100-250
More about Move Redmond
Move Redmond works to achieve a more accessible and inclusive Redmond through its streets, trails, and transit. For over 30 years, Move Redmond has worked to make it easier to reach the opportunities in Redmond by walking, biking, or transit.
Questions
For questions about the contest, please contact Maritza Lauriano (MaritzaL@moveredmond.org) and Seth Daphne Esmeson (SethDaphne.Esmeson@soundtransit.org).
Sound Transit is committed to exploring innovative technology to help promote accessibility and inclusion in public transit. In October, representatives from Sound Transit, Lighthouse for the Blind, Hopelink, and Washington State's Department of Services for the Blind participated in a preview of GoodMaps, a new wayfinding app designed for people with vision disabilities. Participants tested the app in real time and gave feedback directly to GoodMaps developers.
GoodMaps uses light detection and ranging (LiDAR) mapping technology to create highly accurate 3D maps of large public spaces’ interiors, like transit stations, malls, and airports. Using smartphone camera-based positioning, GoodMaps can locate a user within a room at an accuracy of up to 2 inches. That level of precision is unparalleled by existing GPS and Bluetooth trilateration technologies that measure in meters! Additionally, GoodMaps contains several in-app features that provide step-by-step feedback and directions to users. Alice Klein from DSB commented, “As a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, I love exploring different wayfinding technology to share with my students. I love the points of interest GoodMaps has built in, that are sometimes not taken into consideration. The information board is a perfect example.”
The developers used the LiDAR technology to map the interiors of Westlake and International District/Chinatown stations on the 1 Line as part of a trial for the Seattle area. These stations join dozens of other transit stations in cities like London, where the app’s developers built accurate maps for its users. If successful, Sound Transit will consider expanding the GoodMaps tool to all Link stations. A systemwide expansion of GoodMaps could improve the passenger experience for riders with vision disabilities.
GoodMaps helps people with vision disabilities travel with confidence. By mapping transit stations, shopping centers, and outdoor spaces, it enhances travelers’ independence, safety, and mobility. GoodMaps reduces the risk of accidents and empowers users to move freely without assistance. Beth Hamby, Sound Transit’s Senior Accessibility Program Manager, is excited about the app, saying, “GoodMaps is one of several promising technology projects Sound Transit's Innovation & Passenger Technology team is developing that are designed to assist passengers with wayfinding in and around our stations. I'm excited about the potential for GoodMaps to help make complex stations easier to navigate for passengers with vision disabilities and support independent travel for any passenger with a smartphone.”
Experience GoodMaps in person and try the app yourself! GoodMaps is available for download now from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. For questions, contact Arthur Bachus at arthur.bachus@soundtransit.org.
Created as commuter rail over 20 years ago, the Sounder South train (or S Line) serves communities between Lakewood and Seattle with weekday rush-hour service as well as game trains.
With changes in travel patterns since the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership on the S Line has declined, but public interest in adding Sounder service on weekends or at other times remains high.
For these reasons, Sound Transit is updating the Strategic Plan for Sounder South, considering whether to prioritize adding new trips — potentially on weekends, midday, or evenings — over the current priority of longer trains. Adding any trips would require approval from BNSF Railway, which owns most of the tracks Sounder runs on.
We conducted public outreach on these questions this fall, and got a tremendous response — over 5,600 survey responses, along with focus groups and many discussions with the public and community organizations. We will be publishing the results of our outreach in January.
We expect the Sound Transit Board to consider changes to the Strategic Plan in spring 2024. We’ll take your input into account, along with research on future travel patterns, to inform the Board’s decision.
Meet our System and Equitable Engagement Coordinator, Noah Lynch!
As a transit enthusiast, when Sound Transit hired me, I immediately decided to pack up all my worldly belongings and move to a neighborhood with a light rail station. My current commute to work is a brisk ten-minute walk from my Capitol Hill apartment to the light rail station. From there, it’s a pleasant four-station hop, skip, and jump to my office near the International District light rail station. Total commute time from door to door is around thirty minutes. The simplicity of my commute allows me to catch up on my morning podcasts as I travel.
You can request a Sound Transit presentation at your school!
Sound Transit is offering presentations for K-12 classes. Our school presentation is a review of what Sound Transit does, how to ride transit, and how to be safe around trains and tracks. We are happy to customize the presentation for your school based on age, group size, amount of time available, and topics your group may be interested in. If you have an idea, please let us know!
Educators and administrators can submit a request to Sound Transit’s youth engagement program and we will reach out to schedule a visit.
Have an upcoming commuter fair? Want more information? Let us know!
Arthur Bachus
Email: Arthur.Bachus@soundtransit.org
Phone: 206-553-3774
Valerie Cortes
Email: Valerie.Cortes@soundtransit.org
Phone: 206-553-3618 |
