User:SounderBruce/Sandbox/Link

Link light rail

History

• Focus on planning, costs, construction issues

Stations

• 2016: 22; 13 under construction
• 2025: 51
• 2041: 70

Features

• Accessibility
• Passenger information systems
• Elevator/escalator issues

Public art

• Non-station public art at OMF, along MLK Way, etc.

System infrastructure

• Percent of stations and track that are underground/elevated/surface-running
• Electrical systems and substations
• Track gauge
• Signaling systems?
• Drivers/operators (Metro, ST)
• OMFs
• 2004 capacity estimate: 3,700 to 9,150 passengers per hour per direction

Rolling stock

• Skoda (Tacoma)
• Kinkisharyo-Mitsui
• Siemens
• Brookville (Tacoma)

Service

• Hours of operation
• General frequencies
• Ridership

Fares and financing

• ORCA card
• Distance
• Free fares in Tacoma (subsidized)
• Most revenue from sales tax

Expansion projects

• Stations and miles: 45 miles and 25? stations by 2030; 108 miles and 70 stations
• Ridership figures: 280,000 by 2030; 525,000 by 2041

Safety and security

• 2009 to 2021: 136 collisions on MLK Way and 168 total
  • 8 deaths and 54 injured on MLK Way, 2 deaths and 11 injured in SODO and DSTT
• 37 grade crossings and 6 miles of surface tracks as of 2021
• 2015 to 201: 92 collisions with 21 injuries and deaths
  • 10th lowest among U.S. systems (crashes per million miles)
• Tacoma Link?

List of Link light rail stations

Example lists: Miami, Minnesota

Link light rail is a regional light rail system operated by Sound Transit in the Seattle metropolitan area, Washington, United States. The network consists of two lines with 22 total stations: Central Link in King County and Tacoma Link in Pierce County. The two lines are not connected and operate with different equipment, station sizes, and capacities. In 2017, the system carried over 24 million passengers, or approximately 75,000 on an average weekday.

• Longest gap between stations: 5.5 miles from Rainier Beach to Tukwila
• Station platforms:
  • T Line – 90 feet (27 m) long except for Commerce Street, which are 42 ft long and 18 ft wide
• 2023 improvements

Northgate Link tunnel

Northgate Link Extension
Overview
Owner	Sound Transit
Locale	Seattle, Washington, US
Termini	Northgate (north) University of Washington (south)
Stations	3
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Link light rail
Technical
Line length	4.3 mi (6.9 km)
Number of tracks	2
Character	Tunneled and elevated
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	1,500 Volts DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed	55 miles per hour (89 km/h)

The Northgate Link Extension is an under construction extension of the Link light rail system in Seattle, Washington, US. Upon opening in 2021, it will extend Red Line service by 4.3 miles (6.9 km) to the University District, Roosevelt, and Northgate. The $1.9 billion project includes the excavation of two 3.4-mile (5.5 km) tunnels from the University of Washington to Maple Leaf.

History

• Previous proposals: 1911, 1968
• Previous service: Route 41 (since 1970)
• 1968 PSCOG: stations along I-5
• 1993 and 1995 plans?
• 1996: Northgate selected as potential project if funding found
• 1997: Alignments considered
• Northgate deferred indefinitely, with addition of NE 45th station
• 2005: Underground alignment selected
• 2007: Funding rejected
• 2008: Funding approved in ST2
• 2012: Northgate Link approved, renamed Northgate Link
• 2014: TBMs launch in Maple Leaf
• 2016: TBMs complete tunnel
• 2021-01: Train testing begins

Design and construction

• Vibration dampeners under University of Washington
  • Floating slabs for tracks

Service plans

• 14 minutes from downtown to Northgate
• Replacement of Route 41
• New Siemens fleet

Lynnwood Link Extension

Lynnwood Link Extension
Overview
Status	Planned
Owner	Sound Transit
Locale	Seattle metropolitan area, Washington, U.S.
Termini	Lynnwood City Center (north) Northgate (south)
Stations	4
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Link light rail
History
Planned opening	2024
Technical
Line length	8.5 mi (13.7 km)
Number of tracks	2
Character	At grade and elevated
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	1,500 Volts DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed	55 miles per hour (89 km/h)

The Lynnwood Link Extension is an under construction light rail project that is part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system in the Seattle metropolitan area. It will run 8.5 miles (13.7 km) along Interstate 5, between Seattle and the the northern suburbs of Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood. The section will extend the 1 Line and 2 Line northward from their existing terminus at Northgate station and includes four new stations opening in 2024, as well as a fifth scheduled to open in 2026.

History

• Interurban along Aurora (1910 to 1939)
• Highway 99 and its transit service?
  • Greyhound and Metro 300s
• 1957 freeway plan
• 1961: Metro considers unified rapid transit proposal from Lynnwood to Des Moines
• 1965: I-5 opens from North Seattle to Everett
• 1965: Forward Thrust proposes 110th/Fremont terminus along Interurban ROW
  • Included long-range plan to reach Snohomish County from Ballard
• 1982: PSCOG investigates Lynnwood to Seattle rail for future study
• 1983: Metro Council approves study of light rail or monorail corridors along I-5 or Aurora Avenue from Seattle to Lynnwood
• 1984: Snohomish County proposes light rail from Seattle to Everett along I-5 as an extension of a UMTA study that funded Seattle–Alderwood, despite little state support
• 1986 PSCOG/Metro: along I-5, with stops at Jackson Park (145th), North City (175th), Mountlake Terrace (236th), Mountlake Terrace North (220th), Lynnwood (44th), Alderwood Mall (I-405)
• SNO-TRAN
• 1993 study: light rail along I-5, other options on SR 99
• 1995 plan: light rail to 164th by 2010, via stations at Alderwood and 44th and provisional station at Mountlake Terrace
  • Rejected heavily in Snohomish County, including Lynnwood
• 2005 long-range plan
• 2007 plan: $1.4 billion for light rail to 164th, via stations at Alderwood, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace
  • $381 million loan required to reach Lynnwood

Planning

• ST2 approved in 2008, light rail to Lynnwood TC by 2023
• 2010 to 2011: Scoping of routes: I-5 or SR 99 (North Corridor HCT)
  • Aurora and 15th alignments eliminated
• 2012: DEIS alignment chosen, along I-5
• 2013: Preferred alternative along I-5
• 2015: EIS (April) and Record of Decision (July)
  • 130th and 220th deferred
• 2016: ST3 approves 130th infill for 2031
• 2017: Station names adopted
• 2017 delay and budget adjustment due to property acquisition and other mitigation
  • Design cuts in 2018
  • Baseline schedule for July 2024, budget at $2.77B
• July 2018: Demolition of Black Angus and McDonald's furniture store begins
• December 2018: FFGA
• 2018 updates
• NE 145th northbound flyer stop closed and replaced with surface stop

Construction

• First steps: tree removal (began in late April)
• Groundbreaking on September 3, 2019
• 200 columns required (85 installed as of September 2020), with long girders fabricated in Tacoma and trucked via I-405 due to convention center lid constraints
• November 2021: 50 percent completion milestone, all 188 columns complete, 530 of 533 girders set

Future

• Project mitigation: Tree planting, restoration of Ronald Bog
• Potential delay into 2025 if 2 Line opens as starter
  • Lynnwood service would be limited to 8 minutes at peak and 10 minutes all day until 2 Line is able to open; afterwards, 4 minutes at peak and 5 minutes mid-day
  • Lynnwood mayor votes against studying East Link starter line

Route

Lynnwood Link will begin at Northgate, continuing on an elevated guideway from the northern portal of the Northgate Link tunnel in Seattle. The tracks will descend to ground level near North 115th Street, traveling north along the east side of Interstate 5.

Stations

• As of 2022: 3,273 units planned around Shoreline stations

Station	Image	Location	Planned opening	Type	Park and ride	Connections and notes
Northgate		Seattle	2021	Elevated	Yes
NE 130th Street		Seattle	2026	Elevated	No
Shoreline South/145th		Shoreline	2024	Elevated	Yes
Shoreline North/185th		Shoreline	2024	At-grade	Yes
Mountlake Terrace		Mountlake Terrace	2024	Elevated	Yes
Lynnwood City Center		Lynnwood	2024	Elevated	Yes

Service plans

• Lines combine for 4-minute frequency
  • Off-peak at 5 minutes combined, early morning and late night at 7.5 minutes
  • Originally planned to only have Eastside service
• Community Transit route truncation and major network expansion with expresses
  • Swift Blue Line extension to 185th
• King County Metro changes: extended and rerouted bus routes
• Route 510/511/512/513 truncation proposed: 510 from Everett/S Everett; 513 all-day from Seaway to Ash Way and Lynnwood
• Travel times from Lynnwood: 20 minutes to UW, 27 minutes to downtown, 60 minutes to airport

Federal Way Link Extension

History

• 1984: South corridors considered by PSCOG include SR 99 from Sea-Tac, or Tukwila to Auburn via Kent

Ballard Link Extension

Ballard Link Extension
Overview
Status	Planned
Owner	Sound Transit
Locale	Seattle, Washington, US
Termini	Ballard (north) International District/Chinatown (south)
Stations	9
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Link light rail
History
Planned opening	2037 or 2039
Technical
Line length	7.1 mi (11.4 km)
Number of tracks	2
Character	Underground and elevated
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	1,500 Volts DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed	55 miles per hour (89 km/h)

The Ballard Link Extension is a planned light rail project in Seattle, Washington, US, expanding part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. The 7.1-mile (11.4 km) long extension is planned to connect Downtown Seattle to South Lake Union, Lower Queen Anne, Interbay, and Ballard, with seven new light rail stations and a new downtown tunnel. It is part of the Sound Transit 3 program, approved by voters in 2016, and is planned to open in 2037 or 2039.

History

Ballard was originally an independent city and was connected to Downtown Seattle by an interurban railway built in 1891 by the West Street and North End Electric Railway, running through the Interbay and Lower Queen Anne neighborhoods of Seattle. Ballard was annexed by Seattle in 1907 and connected to the municipal streetcar system in 1914 by the Puget Sound Traction Light and Power Company. Ballard's streetcars were replaced by trolleybuses on June 30, 1940, after the opening of the new Ballard Bridge, and operated as Route 15 of the Seattle Transit System.

During the 20th century, several attempts to build a rapid transit system in the Seattle metropolitan area were made by city boosters, some of which included Ballard as a major destination. Civic planner Virgil Bogue's rejected 1911 comprehensive plan envisioned a subway line from Downtown Seattle to Golden Gardens Park at Northwest 85th Street, with elevated stations in Lower Queen Anne, Interbay, and Ballard.

Background

• 1968/70 Forward Thrust: station at 15th & Market, 15th & Dravus, continuing on to Greenwood and Downtown
  • 1966 proposal: $111 million for subway from N 110th to Belleve, via Ballard and Downtown
  • 1968: Ballard votes it down by 6-to-4
• Monorail Green Line

Existing service

• 2012: RapidRide D introduced to replace 15

Studies

• 2013 study with SDOT (streetcar?), funded by ST surplus after cuts from ST2 in 2010
  • Early options include Westlake corridor or Queen Anne hilltop station with 140-foot bridge
• 2014 routing options (including LQA/Fremont option)
• 2015 Candidate project
• 2016 ST3
  • Draft plan anticipated 2038 completion, accelerated to 2035 in May revision
  • Proposal to use suburban subarea to pay for tunnel construction
• Drawbridge/ "West" Interbay routing
• 2017: Preliminary engineering approved
• 2018: Proposed design includes Magnolia routing, SLU spacing, Chinatown options
• 2019: Alternative tunnels to 20th Avenue in Ballard would add $450M or more
• January 2022: Draft EIS released
• July 2022: City Council endorses 15th Avenue and Mercer Street station options
  • No decision made on Chinatown/ID station
• March 7, 2023: Constantine and Harrell announce North/South CID options with transfer at Pioneer Square; backlash from various groups
  • Option advanced alongside 4th Ave shallow in preferred alternative
  • City paid consultant to push for alternative
• March 23: Preferred alternative for EIS adopted
  • Denny Station remains the same, but Terry option included
  • Ballard tunnel under 15th Avenue instead of other options proposed

Proposals

• Westside bus tunnel

Route

The Ballard Extension will be a continuation of the Central Link light rail line serving Tacoma, South King County, and the Rainier Valley. In the project's preliminary design, the tunnel begins adjacent to the current Stadium station at 5th Avenue South and Royal Brougham Way. The tunnel runs parallel to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, which carries the Red and Blue lines, and stops at the expanded International District/Chinatown station. It continues north on 5th Avenue, stopping at a station at Madison Street, and then drifts to 6th Avenue, intersecting with the current Westlake station at Pine Street. The tunnel turns onto Westlake Avenue North, stopping near Denny Way, and makes a westward turn onto Republican Street, with a station near Aurora Avenue. It crosses under the Seattle Center and stops on its west side in the Lower Queen Anne area, before emerging onto an elevated guideway over Elliott Avenue West. Trains would stop at stations near the Smith Cove Cruise Ship Terminal and near West Dravus Street in Interbay before crossing the Lake Washington Ship Canal on a movable, 70-foot (21 m) bridge adjacent to the Ballard Bridge. The line would terminate at a station near the intersection of 15th Avenue Northwest and Northwest Market Street in Ballard.

Resources

• Draft EIS (January 2022): Summary, Alternatives Considered

Stations

• International District/Chinatown
  • Hub on 4th or 5th avenues explored
• Midtown
  • First Hill option
• Westlake
• Denny
• South Lake Union
• Seattle Center
  • Republican Street option opposed by KEXP and arts organizations due to potential disruption
• Smith Cove
• Interbay
• Ballard

Resources

• DJC (2022): West Seattle-Ballard Link tunnels have above-ground implications

Service plans

• Green Line to Tacoma via Rainier Valley and Sea-Tac
• Projected ridership: 47,000 via Ballard, 110,000 via downtown tunnel

External links

• Project page

3 Line (Everett & West Seattle)

Redirect from Everett Link Extension and West Seattle Link Extension

3 Line
Overview
Status	Planned
Owner	Sound Transit
Locale	Seattle metropolitan area, Washington, US
Termini	Everett Station (north) Alaska Junction (south)
Stations	25 (9 new, 1 provisional)
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Link light rail
History
Planned opening	2032 (West Seattle) 2037 (Southwest Everett) 2041 (Downtown Everett)
Technical
Number of tracks	2
Character	Underground, elevated, and surface
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	1,500 Volts DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed	55 miles per hour (89 km/h)

3 Line (colored magenta) is a future light rail line in the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington, planned as part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. It will connect Everett and Snohomish County to Downtown Seattle and West Seattle. The line is planned to share tracks with the 2 Line from southern Everett to International District/Chinatown station.

The line is planned to reuse existing tracks that are part of the 1 Line and its future expansions; the 1 Line will then be rerouted through a new Downtown Seattle tunnel to be built for the Ballard Link Extension. The 16.3-mile (26.2 km) Everett Link Extension to the north of Lynnwood will have six stations and is scheduled to open between 2037 and 2041. The 4.7-mile-long (7.6 km) West Seattle Link Extension will include three new stations southwest of SODO station and is scheduled to open in 2032. The 3 Line was created as part of the Sound Transit 3 program, approved by voters in 2016, which included both projects.

History

The Everett Link Extension and West Seattle Link Extension are part of the Sound Transit 3 program, which was a ballot measure approved by voters on November 8, 2016. They were preceded by prior rail services in the early 20th century and various proposals to build a regional rapid transit system before the formation of Sound Transit in 1993. Buses also operate on both corridors with express and local service.

Everett section

Daily passenger train service between Seattle and Everett in Snohomish County was operated by the Great Northern Railway as part of longer intercity routes to Vancouver and Chicago. An electric interurban railway, named the Seattle–Everett Interurban, opened in 1910 and ran 29 miles (47 km) on an inland route that took 90 minutes to traverse from end to end. The route generally operated with hourly trains until it was discontinued in 1939; its right-of-way was later reused to build the Interurban Trail in the 1990s and 2000s. Intercity bus service to Downtown Seattle and the University of Washington campus was provided by Metro Transit commuter buses on the Interstate 5 corridor, which Community Transit took over in 1976. A set of Sound Transit Express routes contracted to Community Transit debuted in 1999; they carried 9,000 daily riders in 2019, while Community Transit's commuter routes carried X per day.

Prior service

• Interurban from 1910 to 1939, dismantled and turned into PUD corridor and later trail
• Community Transit express buses (Route 420?) from 1977 onward
• Sound Transit Express debuts in 1999 with Routes 510/511/513 during peak hour and 512 off-peak/Saturdays
  • Expanded to all-day, all-week service by 2000 and improved during 2013 restructuring
  • 15K riders on CT/ST from Downtown as of 2017
  • 470 daily bus trips on I-5 corridor from Downtown Seattle and U District to areas north of I-405
• Paine Field corridor: Swift Green Line since 2019

Prior plans

• 1957 highway rail plan
• SNOTRAN plans from the 1970s
• 1984: Snohomish County proposes light rail from Seattle to Everett along I-5 as an extension of a UMTA study that funded Seattle–Alderwood, despite little state support
• 1986 PSCOG report?
• 1995 RTA plan
  • Includes Sounder, which began in 2003

Planning

• April 2020: County picks preferred configurations for Ash Way (east side of I-5) and Mariner stations
  • TOD plans
• November 2021: Early scoping with station alternatives
  • Existing conditions report
• January 2023: Scoping
• June 2023: Options narrowed down based on scoping summary
  • Controversy over potential condemnations

West Seattle section

Background

• Annexed by Seattle
• First municipality-owned streetcar system in U.S.
• Bus service begins in 1941 across Spokane Street Bridge

Earlier plans

• 1911 Bogue plan
• 1968/70 Forward Thrust (busway)
• Monorail Green Line

Existing service

• 2012: RapidRide C introduced

Studies

• 2009: McGinn proposal
• 2014 Level 2 study with Burien and Renton?
• 2015 Candidate project
• 2016 ST3 with new tunnel
  • Draft plan anticipated 2033 completion, accelerated to 2030 in May revision
• 2017: Preliminary engineering approved

Planning

• 2018: Tunneled alignment suggested at early scoping meetings
  • Includes deferral of Avalon station
  • Flyover video
• Tunnel proposal would require $700 million in new funding
  • $500 million alternative presented in September 2019
• Preferred alternatives for Draft EIS identified in May 2019 and October 2019 (with third-party funding)
• 2021 cost-reassessment
• January 2022: Draft EIS released
• July 2022: Seattle City Council endorses medium tunnel to Alaska Junction
• Late 2022: ID/Chinatown opposition to preferred station options; new alternatives offered

Future

• Final EIS expected in late 2023 or early 2024
• Design from 2023 to 2026
• Construction from 2026 to 2032
• Estimated cost (as of August 2022): $14 billion for West Seattle and Ballard

Proposals

• Westside bus tunnel
• Gondola (SkyLink), rejected in April 2022

Route

Everett

• Debate over Airport Road or I-5 alignment
• Station location debates for Ash Way, Casino Road
  • Broadway option between SR 526 and downtown
  • ST options don't use street right-of-way

West Seattle

• Preliminary route
  • Draft EIS (January 2022): Summary, Alternatives Considered
  • Preferred alternative (adopted July 2022)
• Duwamish fixed crossing
  • Preferred alternative: South Crossing on south side of Spokane Street Viaduct/West Seattle Bridge on a high-level fixed bridge that crosses the northern tip of Pigeon Point, transitioning to retained cut-and-fill
• Golf course alignment: tunnel if third party funding is available
• Elevated or underground for Alaska Junction

Stations

All names provisional

Everett

• Everett Station
• SR 526/Evergreen
• SW Everett Industrial Center
• SR 99/Airport Road (provisional)
• Mariner
• Ash Way
• West Alderwood

West Seattle

Resources: Station Planning Progress Report (Jan 2022)

• International District/Chinatown
  • Station alternatives (as of October 2022)
  • PA: None identified
• Stadium (not served by the 1 Line, but will be rebuilt for the 3 Line due to tunnel portal for the 1 Line)
  • PA: None identified
• SODO
  • PA: At-Grade west/parallel to existing station; or At-Grade Staggered slightly north with transfer platform
• Delridge
  • PA: Elevated and diagonal between 26th & Nevada and 25th & Dakota
    • Third party funding PA: Similar but with lower height (assuming tunnel option)
• Avalon
  • PA: East-west along Genesse Street between 35th and 32nd
    • Third party funding PA: Underground and east-west between 36th and 35th along Avalon and Genesee
• Alaska Junction
  • PA: Elevated and diagonal between Edmunds & 42nd and Alaska & 41st (WSJ-1); elevated over Alaska Street on east side of 39th (WSJ-2)
    • Third party funding PA: Underground at 41st or 42nd on south side of Alaska Street

Source for preferred alternative (PA): July 2022 Motion

Service plans

• 3 Line (magenta) from Everett
  • 2030: Only to SODO, with forced transfer; 2035: Extended into tunnel
• Projected ridership: 32,000 to 37,000 by 2040 for West Seattle

External links

• West Seattle Link Extension project page
• Everett Link Extension project page

Tacoma Dome Link Extension

The Tacoma Dome Link Extension (TDLE) is a future light rail project that is part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system.

History

• Video with early planning timeline
• Construction scheduled to begin in 2026, opening in 2032
• Early 2023: New station options for South Federal Way and Fife; project delayed until 2035

Route

• 9.8 miles
• Includes OMF South near I-5 and South 340th; relocated from Midway sites due to complexity and controversy
  • Preferred site (chosen in December 2021) would displace 2 churches, 2 businesses, 73 residents

Stations

Redirects to subsections until construction is closer

• List current and former options
• 500-stall parking at Fife and South Federal Way

Tacoma Dome Station

Main article: Tacoma Dome Station

External links

• Project website

East Link station notes

Contracts

• E130: International District to East Channel (includes Judkins Park and Mercer Island)
• E320: South Bellevue Station and East Main Station
• E330: Downtown Bellevue Tunnel
• E335: Downtown Bellevue to Spring District (includes 4 stations)
• E340: Bel-Red (at-grade section)
• E360: SR 520 to Redmond Technology (includes Overlake Village)

Resources

• Station FAQs (City of Bellevue)
• Station news & updates
• Agency Progress Reports
• Archived project website
• The Platform: Art (BAM exhibition)

Judkins Park station

Judkins Park
Link light rail station
General information
Location	Interstate 90 and Rainier Avenue Seattle, Washington
Owned by	Sound Transit
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2024 (2024) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service International District/Chinatown toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2024) Mercer Island toward Downtown Redmond

Judkins Park is a future light rail station located in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is planned to open in 2024 and will be served by the 2 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. The station is located in the median of Interstate 90 between Rainier Avenue and 23rd Avenue in the Atlantic neighborhood of south-central Seattle.

The site was formerly the Rainier Freeway Station, a median bus station served by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses. The bus station opened in 1992 and was constructed as part of the last phase of Interstate 90.

Location

• Bisected by Interstate 90 interchange with Rainier Avenue
• Nearby attractions
  • Parks and recreation: Sam Smith Park, Judkins Park, Jimi Hendrix Park, Amy Yee Tennis Center, Mountains to Sound Greenway (I-90 Trail)
  • Northwest African American Museum

Current transit

• Rainier Freeway Station: ST 550, 554; Metro 111, 114, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219
• Rainier Avenue: 7, 106
• 23rd Avenue: 48
• Long-term: RapidRide upgrades to trolley 7 and 48

Statistics (within 0.5 miles)

• Population: 6,132
• Jobs: 2,839

Zoning and TOD

• Commercial and industrial along Rainier (especially on north side), residences nearby
• North Rainier Community Urban Plan adopted
• Short distance to 23rd & Jackson area (major development site)
• New projects in Charlestown area
• South side: 769 units and offices at Rainier & Grand

History

Transit proposals

• Bogue (1911)
• Forward Thrust (1968–70): surface station in the median of I-90 at Rainier/23rd
• PSCOG (1986)

Rainier Freeway Station

• 1991: Major station promised by Metro
• 1992: I-90 Transitway opens

Light rail

• 1999: Preferred alternative for Central Link using I-90 to Rainier, dropped in favor of Beacon Hill tunnel
• Formerly known as Rainier Station in planning; name adopted in June 2015
• 2017-06: Planned groundbreaking
• 2022 update
• 2024: Expected opening date

Station layout

	East entrance	Exit to 23rd Avenue, ticket vending machines, drop-off area
Platform level	Westbound	← 2 Line toward Northgate (International District/Chinatown)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Eastbound	→ 2 Line toward Redmond Technology (Mercer Island) →
	West entrance	Exit to Rainier Avenue, ticket vending machines

• Architect: Hewitt Architects
• Art: Murals of Jimi Hendrix in halftone at station entrances (Hank Willis Thomas); shelter glass (Barbara Earl Thomas)
  • Installed in 2022
• Entrances: Rainier west side, east side; 23rd west side
• Rainier walkways required to cross WB (north) track to access platform after TVM/fare zone
  • Criticized for accessibility issues, including lack of chirping signal
• Design Commission resources
• Site map and vertical circulation diagram
• 44 bike parking spaces

See also

• List of Link light rail stations

External links

• Project page

Mercer Island station

Mercer Island
Link light rail station
General information
Location	Interstate 90 and 77th/80th Avenue SE Mercer Island, Washington
Owned by	Sound Transit
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2024 (2024) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service Judkins Park toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2024) South Bellevue toward Downtown Redmond

Mercer Island is a future light rail station located in Mercer Island, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. The site is currently home to the Mercer Island Park and Ride, a park and ride that is served by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses. The light rail station, which began construction in 2017, will open in 2024 as part of the East Link Extension.

Park and ride

Current transit

• ST 550, 554; Metro 201, 204, 216, 630, 892, 981, 989
• Long-term plan: Express service from North Bend, Snoqualmie and Sammamish; new local service around island

History

• 1977: WSDOT budget proposes park and ride in North Mercer Island near new I-90 freeway
• 1980: 6 sites proposed for Mercer Island park-and-ride
• 1987: Private owner sells land to WSDOT for construction staging(?) and later parking lot
• 1989: 235-stall Metro park and ride at North Mercer Way opened
• 1996: Sound Move approved; includes new park and ride and new express routes
• 1999: Alternatives for park-and-ride developed, including multi-floor options; split into separate projects due to cost
• 2002: Joint development with private company to build 200 spaces considered but later terminated
• 2005: Sound Transit purchases park and ride from WSDOT for $1.5 million
• February 2006: Old park and ride closes for renovations and expansion
  • Actual demolitions begins in April
• January 2008: New $16.8 million ST-funded park and ride opens, featuring garage and 450 stalls
  • Delayed from March 2007

Public art

• Migration by Julie Berger (2007)
• Beliz Brother's piece inspired by historical photographs

Light rail

Population and jobs (within 0.5 miles)

• Population: 3,496
• Jobs: 3,480
• Development?

Transit proposals

• Forward Thrust (1968–70): surface station in the median of I-90 at SE 24th Ave & 81st Ave SE, with pedestrian tunnels to parking and commercial centers
• PSCOG (1986)

Light rail

• 2007: East Link proposal
• 2007: Roads & Transit rejected
• 2008: ST2 approved
• 2017-06: Express lanes close
• 2024: Expected opening date

Controversy

• 1976: Agreement signed over I-90 design, with future transit conversion in mind
  • 1989: New bridge opens; by 1993, I-90 is completed
• 2015-05: Bus terminal rejected by council after public outcry
• Parking plan dropped
  • Satellite lot at park proposed
• SOV access revoked
• 2017-02: Lawsuit over access, settled with ST for $10 million
• Late 2017: Construction begins with headhouse formation and sound walls
• Bus plan

Design

• West entrance: bike lockers/racks, drop-off, bike trail access, service vehicle parking
• East entrance/headhouse: support spaces (janitor, supply, electric)
• 380-foot-long platform with partial canopy on most of east end
• Public art by Beliz Brother in both entrances
• Sound walls at platform level

Station layout

	Street level	To Exits/Entrances, ticket vending machines
Platform level	Westbound	← 2 Line toward Northgate (Judkins Park)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Eastbound	→ 2 Line toward Redmond Technology (South Bellevue) →

• Site map and vertical circulation diagram

See also

• List of Link light rail stations

External links

• Project page

South Bellevue station

History

Park and ride

• 1990s growth: Attributable to I-90 completion or DSTT?
• 519-stall park and ride, with island bus bay (bus sensors to trigger lights)

Station layout

2025 version

Platform level	Westbound	← 2 Line toward Lynnwood City Center (Mercer Island)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Eastbound	→ 2 Line toward Downtown Redmond (East Main) →
	Street level	Entrance/Exit, bus bays, park and ride garage

• Connection to Mercer Slough trail

Services

The 4 Line, approved as part of Sound Transit 3 in 2016, is planned to interline with the 2 Line through Bellevue when it opens in the 2040s. An early concept envisions a second platform and third track at South Bellevue station to handle transfers between the lines.

• 4 Line shown to interline from East Main instead

External links

• Project website
• Archived project website

East Main station

East Main station is a future light rail station in Bellevue, Washington, United States. It is part of the 2 Line of the Link light rail system operated by Sound Transit in the Seattle metropolitan area. The station consists of two at-grade side platforms along 112th Avenue Southeast near Main Street; it is planned to open in 2024 as part of the first phase of the 2 Line.

Location

The station is located on the west side of 112th Avenue Southeast south of Main Street; it is bordered to the west by the residential Surrey Downs neighborhood.

• Current conditions: several hotels, Bellevue Club
  • Surrey Downs Park reopened in June 2019
• Tunnel portal nearby with park

Major redevelopment

• Wig Properties redevelopment of two hotels into a mixed-use, six-tower complex (up to 38 stories) with 1,350 residential units, 340 hotel rooms, retail
• Northwest side of Main & 112th
• Western redevelopment limited to SFH due to existing zoning covenants; 11 lots were demolished for construction

History

Metro Transit, the countywide bus operator for King County, began development of permanent park and ride lots in the 1970s and selected Wilburton in Bellevue as one of 18 potential markets.

• WSDOT built the lot
• Potential use of Wilburton site for regional transit center (later Bellevue TC)
• Opened on January 30, 1981, with 190 stalls at cost of $1.3 million
  • Mention nearby Wilburton Trestle
• 1979: Carriage Place Condominiums built at site along 112th Ave at edge of Surrey Downs
  • 40 homes and condos affected by routing along west side of 112th
• 2009 to 2013: Routing debate with station locations closer to Wilburton P&R or diagonal route from BNSF
• 2023: Plaza atop tunnel portal opens early

Station layout

• At-grade platforms, 480 feet long
• Level crossing for westbound access
• South entrance has street crossing; north entrance has small pick-up/drop-off area
• Bus stops on 112th south of the station
• No parking
• Park on south side of Main Street above tunnel portal
• Multi-purpose path along 112th

Artwork

• "Celeste Cooning [is working] on a fence separating the corridor's new multi-use path from the light rail tracks"

Bellevue Downtown station

History

• 1994, 2001: County government acquires property on north side of city hall for various uses (parking garage, performing arts, etc)
• Time capsule buried in 2002
• July 2011 alignment: Tunnel with north-south station and entrances
• 2012 cost-savings plan: north-south station with entrances at 6th and 2nd (up to $10 million saved) or east-west station on hillside owned by Metro
  • October 2012: Second option endorsed with $19–33 million cost savings
  • Fully adopted in April 2013 by ST Board and city council

TOD

• City-owned sites along Grand Connection Bridge

Wilburton station (Sound Transit)

History

• Name derived from Wilbur and England logging camp circa 1910

Spring District station

Design

• CAC 2016 (other link)
  • Hotel and office abutting platforms
  • Retained cut with underground-style entrances
  • Park walk and 15th
• Artwork: Louie Gong's "Dragon and Phoenix", which references his Chinese and Nooksack heritage

History

• Forward Thrust plan for Bel-Red station nearby?

Construction

• October 2023: Tile defects discovered and reported, similar to South Bellevue

TOD

• OMF East site
  • A Regional Coalition for Housing and BRIDGE to build affordable units
    • Funded in part by Amazon
• SW corner of 120th at Spring Blvd: 3 lab/offices and 2 apartments (430 units)

BelRed station

• 2016: Student competition for TOD
• 2023: Plan for six-building complex on 8.6 acres with 932 apartments, lice science offices, and other uses
• City FAQ

TOD

• Holland Group's two projects: Vicino (402 units) to the west and 1831 130th (224 units) to the east

Artwork

• Patrick Marold's stainless steel balustrade railing

Overlake Village station

Overlake Village
Link light rail station
General information
Location	State Route 520 and 152nd Avenue NE Redmond, Washington
Owned by	Sound Transit
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2024 (2024) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service Bel-Red/130th toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2024) Redmond Technology toward Downtown Redmond

Overlake Village is a future light rail station in the Overlake neighborhood of Redmond, Washington, United States. It is scheduled to open in 2024 as part of the 2 Line (originally the East Link Extension) and is one stop westbound of the line's initial eastern terminus at Redmond Technology station. The station will consist of two side platforms located along State Route 520 at 152nd Avenue Northeast, south of the Microsoft Redmond campus.

Location

Overlake Village station is located along the south side of State Route 520, east of its interchange with 148th Avenue Northeast.

• 151st/152nd & Da Vinci; plaza and pathway planned
  • Estimated cost of $2.9 million for plaza
• Existing conditions: 1,196 people, 6,618 jobs
  • Overlake area: 600 employers
• TOD plan
• Esterra Park redevelopment: $900 million, former 28-acre Group Health campus, began construction in 2014, 2,900 apartments
  • Over 1,000 units built before station opened
• On-site TOD: Bellwether Housing plans 333 affordable housing units to be built beginning in 2025 on surplus land
  • Scheduled to open in 2027; units for 30% to 80% of area median income as part of ST agreement to sell for $250,000 instead of appraised value of $26 million
• Blackstone redevelopment of existing business park (15 acres) into housing
• Overlake Park and Ride nearby
  • Current transit service: B Line, 249, 269, 895, 541
• WSDOT offramp from SR 520 eastbound

History

• Overlake Park and ride opened in July 1981 with 395 stalls
  • Moved into garage under "The Village" apartment building in 2002
    • First major TOD in county?

Light rail

• 1986 PSCOG
• Construction began in 2017
  • Demolition of strip mall with four buildings
  • Nearby TOD on 152nd
• May 2018: columns and girders on approach
• May 22, 2018: Worker killed at 148th
• January 24, 2024: Bridge opens

Station layout

The station consists of two side platforms on the south side of State Route 520, adjacent to the intersection of 152nd Avenue Northeast and Da Vinci Avenue. The station will have two entrances on the west and east ends of the eastbound platform, with an at-grade crossing to access the westbound platform. A passenger drop-off area will be located on Da Vinci Avenue, which will have a temporary roundabout until it is extended south from the station. A 500-foot (150 m) bicycle and pedestrian bridge connects to the west side of State Route 520, with its stairs and ramp covering a bicycle cage adjacent to a pedestrian plaza. The bridge opened in January 2024 and its main span is 260 feet (79 m) long.

• Design Review: February 2017
• Artwork by Leo Saul Bark (UW Station): guardrail on bridge referencing technology history

• Site map and vertical circulation diagram

Ballard Link stations

Denny station

• 2016 preliminary project: South of Denny, closer to Amazon HQ1
• 2023 modification: Straddles Denny at a diagonal across Vulcan property (101 Westlake)
  • Avoids disruption to Westlake Avenue (and streetcar)

South Lake Union station

• 2016 preliminary: Harrison (or Republican) at Aurora/Borealis/7th to intercept RapidRide
• Mayor's proposal to eliminate, per Amazon suggestion
• 2023 option: Shifted west towards Space Needle/MoPop/Memorial Stadium

Graham Street station

Graham Street
Future Link light rail station
General information
Location	Martin Luther King Jr. Way South & South Graham Street Seattle, Washington, US
Owned by	Sound Transit
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	King County Metro
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2031 (proposed)

Graham Street is future light rail station in Seattle, Washington, US.

History

• Questionable summary
• 1993/1995 plans?
• 1996: Sound Move
• 1999: EIS preferred alternative defers Graham and Beacon Hill
• 2000: ST Board votes against property acquisition
• 2015: Seattle property tax (Move Seattle) includes $10 million for Graham station
• 2016: ST3 includes $65 million in funding for infill station, to open in 2031 (accelerated from draft plan's 2036 date)

Location and layout

• Proposed layout: split side platforms?
  • New pedestrian signal
• 2-mile gap between Othello and Columbia City
• Served by Metro

Midtown station

Midtown
Proposed Link light rail station
General information
Location	5th Avenue and Madison Street Seattle, Washington, US
Owned by	Sound Transit
Line(s)	Ballard Link Extension
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	King County Metro
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2037 (proposed)

Midtown is future Link light rail station in Seattle, Washington, US. It would serve part of Downtown Seattle, near the intersection of 5th Avenue and Madison Street.

Location and layout

• 145 feet or 180 feet deep, depending on shallow/deep choice at ID-Chinatown
• North entrance on 4th Ave next to library, south entrance at 5th & Columbia integrated into 800 Fifth Avenue tower

First Hill station

First Hill
Link light rail station
General information
Location	Madison Street and Boylston Avenue Seattle, Washington, US
Operated by	Sound Transit
Line(s)	University
Platforms	1 split island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Key dates
Deleted	July 28, 2005 (2005-07-28)

First Hill was a planned light rail station serving the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. The station, located under the intersection of Madison Street and Boylston Avenue, would have consisted of a split island platform situated 215 feet (66 m) under street level, connected to the surface by high-speed elevators.

First Hill station, conceived as part of the initial light rail system in the 1990s, was reorganized under the University Link Extension from Downtown Seattle to the University District in the early 2000s. It was to serve a major employment center, including nearby hospitals and the Seattle University campus, and one of the region's most densely populated neighborhoods. In 2005, Sound Transit determined that construction of the station would pose major risks to the project's schedule and jeopardized key federal grants. The Sound Transit Board voted to remove the station from the light rail project and replace it with an alternative transit system. The First Hill Streetcar, funded by Sound Transit, opened in 2016 to serve the neighborhood, in part as a replacement for the deleted station.

Early planning and approval

• Streetcar history
• Earlier proposals from Bogue, Forward Thrust, etc.
• 1992: Metro investigates light rail tunnel serving First Hill, Broadway/Capitol Hill, and Portage Bay to University District
  • First Hill already an urban center with high employment, considered a core of the regional growth plan
• October 1994: Adopted long-range plan from RTA includes light rail tunnel for First Hill
• 1995: Rejected RTA proposal included a potential light rail station serving First Hill
• 1996: Sound Move adopted by ST Board, including light rail station on Madison Street serving First Hill
• 1999-11-18: ST Board selects Central Link route, including station at E. Madison Street on First Hill
• 1999: Kauri Investments proposes 25-story apartment towers above entrances

Design

• Platforms: 215 ft underground
• 4 high-speed elevators per entrance (2 entrances, at Boylston and Summit); emergency stairs
• Above-ground plaza with TVMs and bike storage
• Estimated 2030 ridership: 11,000

Removal

• 2004: ST Board rejects proposal to skip First Hill, citing importance as major employment center
• 2005-07-28: ST Board removes First Hill station from preferred extension route, citing technical studies that found considerable engineering, geology and construction risks at station site that would have risked FTA funding
  • Estimated cost of $350 million for the 210-foot deep station, also risking $650 million in federal funding

Mitigation and streetcar line

Main article: First Hill Streetcar

Nearest stop: Broadway & Marion

• 2007: Sound Transit recommends a streetcar line [1]
• 2008-07-24: ST Board adopts ST2 plan, including a new streetcar connector line between Downtown, First Hill and the future Capitol Hill Station
• 2012–2014: Construction [2]
• 2016-01-23: Soft launch and beginning of operations (18 months late)

ST3

• 2017 to 2018: Green Line station at 5th & Madison shifted further east

Replacement

• 2017: Parcels on Madison declared as surplus and put up for sale/redevelopment
• 2020: Plymouth/Bellweather breaks ground on 17-story highrise for affordable housing on site
• 2023: Blake House and The Rise opens (17 stories of affordable housing)

See also

• List of Link light rail stations

Rapid transit proposals in Seattle

Structure like Proposed expansion of the New York City Subway

DYK for 50th anniversary of Forward Thrust (February 13, 2018): ...that Seattle's rejection of a mass transit system led to the creation of Atlanta's MARTA system?

Seattle, Washington, a major US city that was established in 1859, has seen several official plans in the 20th century to build a rapid transit system to serve the city. The city had traditionally been served by a streetcar network that was dissolved in 1941 and later a bus network that grew under various public agencies.

Forward Thrust

The rapid transit element of the Forward Thrust referendums, put before voters Seattle, Washington, in 1968 and 1970, would have consisted of a 47-mile (76 km) rail system and bus improvements.

Timeline

• Chronology
• 1965: Government report
• 1967: De Lew, Cather report

Details

• 47 miles, 32 stations
  • 27 miles for future expansion
• Long range plan: Airport, Rainier Valley, north

Aftermath

• MARTA funding
• "stupidest 'no' vote" - Slade Gorton
• Metro Transit in 1972; Sound Transit in 1996
• East Link directly follows East Route; 522 BRT; West Seattle and Ballard Link in ST3

PSRC light rail

• 1981/1986 with Metro

Monorail expansion

• 1963 and 1997

Link light rail expansion

Similar to Bay Area Rapid Transit expansion; merge other extension articles into here

The Link light rail system is a public transit network serving the Seattle metropolitan area of Washington, United States. Sound Transit, which manages the system, was established in 1996 and funds light rail expansion through the use of voter-approved spending packages.

Under construction

Lynnwood

Merge from Lynnwood Link Extension

Proposed extensions

• Ballard to UW
• Kirkland
• Burien
• SR 522 corridor