| Welcome to the summer 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, community partners, and professional network.
*corrected Federal Way Link Extension opening date
Construction is underway on the existing 1 Line as Sound Transit prepares for the Lynnwood Link Extension on Aug. 30 and the Federal Way Link Extension in *2026. The 1 Line will have service disruptions on the 1 Line until June 22, but most work will occur late in the evening or at just a few stations.
To see more details about the disruptions, visit this page: Spring 2024 disruption
From May 12 to June 22, trains will not run between the SeaTac/Airport and Angle Lake stations as crews are working to connect the Federal Way Link Extension to the existing 1 Line. This connection will also allow Sound Transit to store light rail vehicles just south of Angle Lake Station, adding capacity to the Lynnwood Extension.
Trains will be single tracking on June 1-2 as crews make repairs at Columbia City Station.
On June 21-23, downtown Seattle stations will be closed for tie-in work for the Eastlink extension. Bus shuttles will run between Capitol Hill and SODO stations every 10-15 minutes.
Starting Friday, Aug. 30, passengers can ride Link light rail to Snohomish County! This 8.5-mile extension will add four new stations: Shoreline South/148th, Shoreline North/185th, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood City Center.
When the Lynnwood Link Extension opens, trains will run about every 8 minutes. ST Express Route 510 will continue until the 2 Line opens and capacity to Lynnwood increases. A temporary Route 515 will supplement Link capacity between Lynnwood and downtown Seattle. Community Transit and King County Metro will enact their annual fall service changes on Sept. 14 to improve bus connections to the new light rail stations.
In 2026, Sound Transit will open an infill station at NE 130th St, between Northgate and Shoreline South/148th stations. For more information, see the page on Sound Transit’s website.
Thousands celebrated the 2 Line opening on April 27! We opened eight new stations on the Eastside- the first opening in a series of expansions in the next several years. These new stations are accessible by walking and rolling.
The Redmond Technology Station Bridge has canopies, native plants, and benches. It connects the Redmond Technology Station to the SR 520 transit flyer stop and the SR 520 regional bike trail.
There’s another pedestrian bridge at the Overlake Village station, which features Leo Berk’s artwork “Verdant” and also connects to the SR 520 bike trail.
At the Wilburton station, the Eastrail NE 8th St. bridge will include art that honors Japanese American heritage. It will open on June 23.
Starting in August, Sound Transit will seek public comment on Phase One of the 2025 Service Plan. This phase includes the opening of the 2 Line’s Downtown Redmond Link Extension and the potential restoration of ST Express bus service in South King and Pierce counties. (Last spring, we reduced service on select ST Express routes due to staffing shortages at Pierce Transit, which operates our bus service on the South end.)
We encourage our riders and partners to share their thoughts on these critical service enhancements when the 2025 Service Plan website is available. Stay tuned for details on how to share your feedback on the planning process.
When Lynnwood Link opens on Aug. 30, Sound Transit will shift to flat fares. All Link trips will cost $3 for adults, and passengers will no longer need to “tap off.”
Extensive community engagement influenced this decision, with the public evenly split between a fare increase and flat fares. The Sound Transit board elected to switch to flat fares to increase simplicity, address equity, and retain the potential for fare capping in the future.
The new fare structure won’t affect low-income adult (ORCA LIFT) or senior/disabled fares, which will remain $1 flat fares. Youth aged 18 and under will continue to ride free with a Youth Transit Pass.
Farmers market season is in full swing in the Puget Sound region! In the summer, we see a lot of stone fruit, berries, tomatoes, green beans, and other produce. Farmers markets are also great places to find pop-up vendors, try food trucks, and see friends and neighbors!
You can get to many seasonal and year-round markets via transit. Along the 1 Line, you can visit the U District, Capitol Hill, and Columbia City farmers markets. The Bellevue farmers market is accessible via the 2 Line, and the Broadway Tacoma farmers market is just a block away from the Theater District Station of the T-Line.
Follow the LifeSTyle blog to learn about happenings around the sound!
Transit-oriented development brings affordable housing, retail, and community spaces near transit. Sound Transit works to support regional growth through our TOD projects. Our process involves:
- Planning stations that foster livable communities.
- Transforming land used for construction into transit-oriented development.
- Supporting affordable housing, jobs, and public spaces to foster communities near transit.
Today, 3,300 homes have been built or are in process, including 2,500 affordable units. Fourteen of Sound Transit’s stations have completed or planned transit-oriented development. For example, Mercy Othello Plaza is a mixed-use facility by the Othello Link light rail station. It has 108 affordable homes for those earning 30-60% of the area median income, and 60% of the units are two- or three-bedroom units to accommodate families.
Meet our System and Equitable Engagement Intern, Pamela Lim!
I am lucky to live in Fremont, a neighborhood with many transit connections! To get to work, I usually take the 28X bus. As it crosses the Aurora Bridge, I can get a great view of the Olympic mountains or Lake Union. If I miss the 28X, I take the 40 bus, which runs more frequently.
I’m also a student at the University of Washington, so I take the 1 Line to get to school! On a usual Wednesday, I go to work in the morning, then head to UW for an afternoon class. I get on at the Chinatown-International District station and get off at the University of Washington. Door to door, I can get to class in under 30 minutes.
You can join Sound Transit Board meetings!
The public can attend meetings in person in the Ruth Fisher Board Room at 401 S Jackson Street or virtually via WebEx. To attend the meeting virtually, visit the Board of Directors event calendar and click on the Board or Committee meeting name for details to join.
You can also provide public comments in person, virtually, or via email. Instructions for providing comments can be found here.
Have an upcoming commuter fair? Want more information? Let us know!
Arthur Bachus
Email: Arthur.Bachus@soundtransit.org
Phone: 206-553-3774 |
