User:SounderBruce/Sandbox/Link

Link light rail

Link light rail
Clockwise from top: Central Link at Pioneer Square station, Tacoma Link at Convention Center station, Central Link at Othello station in Seattle
Overview
Owner	Sound Transit
Locale	Seattle, Washington, US
Transit type	Light rail
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	22
Daily ridership	75,267 (2017)
Annual ridership	24,159,038 (2017)
Website	soundtransit.org
Operation
Began operation	August 22, 2003 (2003-08-22)
Operator(s)	Sound Transit, King County Metro
Number of vehicles	65
Technical
System length	21.95 mi (35.33 km)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	1500 V DC, overhead lines (Central) 700 V DC, overhead lines (Tacoma)
System map 1 Line & 2 Line Lynnwood City Center Mountlake Terrace Shoreline North/185th Shoreline South/148th NE 130th Street (2026) Northgate Roosevelt U District University of Washington Montlake Cut Capitol Hill Westlake Symphony Pioneer Square International District/ Chinatown link opening 2025 Judkins Park Homer M. Hadley Mem. Bridge over Lake Washington Mercer Island East Channel Bridge over Lake Washington Stadium South Bellevue SODO East Main Operations and Maintenance Facility Central Bellevue Downtown Beacon Hill Wilburton Mount Baker Operations and Maintenance Facility East Columbia City Spring District Othello BelRed Rainier Beach Overlake Village Duwamish River Redmond Technology opening 2025 Marymoor Village Downtown Redmond Tukwila International Boulevard SeaTac/Airport Angle Lake opening 2026 Kent Des Moines opening 2026 Star Lake Federal Way Downtown T Line Stadium District S 4th Tacoma General Old City Hall 6th Ave Theater District Hilltop District Convention Center St. Joseph Union Station South 25th Street Tacoma Dome Operations and Maintenance Facility All stations are accessible

Link light rail is a light rail rapid transit system serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is managed by Sound Transit, in partnership with local transit providers, and consists of two disconnected lines: Central Link in King County, which travels for 20 miles (32 km) between Seattle and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport; and Tacoma Link in Pierce County, which runs for under 2 miles (3 km) between Downtown Tacoma and Tacoma Dome Station. The system carries 24.1 million passengers annually, primarily on Central Link, and runs trains at frequencies of 6 to 24 minutes.

The Link light rail system was originally conceived in the 1980s following several earlier proposals for a heavy rail system that were rejected by voters. Sound Transit was created in 1993 and placed a ballot measure to fund and build the system, which was passed on a second attempt in 1996. Tacoma Link began construction first in 2000 and opened on August 22, 2003, costing $80 million. Central Link construction was delayed due to funding issues and routing disputes, but began in November 2003 and was completed on July 18, 2009. Central Link trains initially ran from Downtown Seattle to Tukwila International Boulevard station before being extended south to the airport in December 2009, north to the University of Washington in March 2016, and further south to Angle Lake station in September 2016.

Sound Transit plans to expand the Link light rail network to 116 miles (187 km) and 70 stations by 2041, using funding approved by voters in 2008 and 2016 ballot measures. The first suburban extensions to Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Federal Way are scheduled to open in 2023 and 2024. Later project will expand the system to cover the metropolitan area from Everett to Tacoma, along with branches to Issaquah and the Seattle neighborhoods of Ballard and West Seattle.

History

Main article: History of Link light rail

Background and early transit proposals

Public transit service within Seattle began in 1884, with the introduction of the city's first horse-drawn streetcar line. The system was replaced with a network of electric streetcars and cable cars by the end of the decade, which spurred the development of new streetcar suburbs across modern-day Seattle. Aside from the streetcar lines, which were consolidated into the city-owned Seattle Municipal Street Railway in 1918, a network of private interurban railways to Everett, Tacoma, and the Rainier Valley were established after the turn of the century to supplement existing passenger rail services operated by freight railroads. The interurban systems failed to compete with the increasing popularity of automobile travel, capped by the completion of U.S. Route 99 in the late 1920s, and were shut down and abandoned. By 1941, the municipal streetcars were scrapped and replaced with a trolleybus network that continues to serve similar routes today.

Various proposals for a rapid transit system in Seattle, to replace the streetcar—and later bus—networks, were presented in the 20th century and rejected by city officials or voters due to their cost or other factors. In 1911, urban planner Virgil Bogue proposed a 41-mile (66 km) system of subway tunnels and elevated railways as the centerpiece to a comprehensive plan for the city, which was rejected by voters. The Seattle Center Monorail, originally built for the 1962 World's Fair, has been the subject of several unsuccessful expansion proposals backed by Governor Albert Rosellini in the 1960s and Seattle voters in the early 2000s. The Forward Thrust Committee of the late 1960s proposed a 47-mile (76 km) rapid transit system, to connect Downtown Seattle to Ballard, the University District, Lake City, Capitol Hill, Bellevue, and Renton. The federal government offered to fund two-thirds of the rail system's capital costs, approximately $770 million (equivalent to $5.15 billion in 2023 dollars), if $385 million (equivalent to $2.58 billion in 2023 dollars) in local property taxes were approved by voters. The rapid transit initiative was placed on the ballot in February 1968, but failed to receive the necessary supermajority to pass. A second attempt in May 1970, with $440 million (equivalent to $2.66 billion in 2023 dollars) in local funding and $870 million (equivalent to $5.27 billion in 2023 dollars) in federal funding, failed amid a local economic downturn caused by layoffs at Boeing. The federal funding earmarked towards the rapid transit system was granted to Atlanta, Georgia, forming the initial funding for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's rail system.

Light rail planning

Following the failed Forward Thrust initiatives, Metro Transit was created in 1972 to oversee a countywide bus network, and plan for a future rail system. In the early 1980s, Metro Transit and the Puget Sound Council of Governments (PSCOG) explored light rail and busway concepts to serve the region, ultimately choosing to build a downtown transit tunnel that would be convertible from buses to light rail at a later date. The PSCOG formally endorsed a light rail plan in 1986, recommending a system be built by 2020, and include a line between Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport, with routing alternatives that served the Rainier Valley. A 1988 advisory measure on light rail planning was passed in King County, encouraging Metro Transit to accelerate the plan's timeline to open by 2000. In 1990, the state legislature endorsed the creation of a regional transit board composed of politicians from King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, with the goal of implementing the regional transit plan.

The Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, later renamed Sound Transit, was created in 1993 to write and present a regional transit plan for voter approval. The agency proposed a 70-mile (110 km) light rail network as the centerpiece of a $6.7 billion transit ballot measure, with a surface line through the Rainier Valley and tunnels between Downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill, and the University District. The ballot measure failed to pass on March 14, 1995, and the light rail line was shortened to 25 miles (40 km), between the University District and Sea-Tac Airport. Voters approved the $3.9 billion package on November 5, 1996, along with increases to sales taxes and motor vehicle excise taxes across the regional transit district. Sound Transit considered several routing options during a series of public hearings and studies early into the project's environmental impact study, which adopted the name "Central Link". In 1999, Sound Transit selected the alignment for the light rail project, consisting of a line between the University District and Sea-Tac Airport, with surface segments passing through Tukwila, the Rainier Valley, and SoDo, and tunnels under Beacon Hill, First Hill, Capitol Hill, and Portage Bay.

• Tacoma Link breaks ground in 2000, completed in August 2003
  • Central Link breaks ground months later

Infrastructure

Stations

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

Features

• Rider information
• Elevator/escalator issues

Rolling stock

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

Service

• Hours of operation
• General frequencies
• Ridership

Fares

• ORCA card
• Distance
• Free fares in Tacoma (subsidized)

Future expansion

• Red and Blue Line branding by 2023
• 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
• Project pages with length, stations, travel times

Project Name	Status	Description	Length	Expected Opening
Northgate Link Extension	Under construction	Extends Central Link north from University of Washington Station to the University District west of campus, the Roosevelt neighborhood and Northgate, a major transit center and shopping mall.	4.3 miles (6.9 km)	2021

List of Link light rail stations

Wait until 2017 numbers are released in late February, or APTA numbers in March

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.

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 a future light rail line that will become 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 project includes the construction of four new stations opening in 2024, as well as a fifth scheduled to open in 2031.

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
• 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

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

Station	Image	Location	Planned opening	Type	Park and ride	Connections and notes
Northgate		Seattle	2021	Elevated	Yes
NE 130th Street		Seattle	2031	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

• Red Line and Blue Line combine for 4-minute frequency
  • Originally planned to only have Eastside service
• Community Transit route truncation
  • Swift Blue Line extension to 185th
• 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

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	2035
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 2035.

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
• 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

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
• Smith Cove
• Interbay
• Ballard

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

West Seattle Link Extension

Move to Line 3 (Sound Transit)

West Seattle Link Extension
Overview
Other name(s)	Line 3 3 Line
Status	Planned
Owner	Sound Transit
Locale	Seattle, Washington, US
Termini	Alaska Junction (south) SODO (north)
Stations	5
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Link light rail
History
Planned opening	2030
Technical
Line length	4.7 mi (7.6 km)
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)

The West Seattle Link Extension is a future light rail line in Seattle, Washington, United States, planned as part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. The 4.7-mile-long (7.6 km) line will connect Downtown Seattle to West Seattle with four stations. It is planned to be part of Line 3, which will run from West Seattle to Everett in Snohomish County. The line was created as part of the Sound Transit 3 program, approved by voters in 2016; the West Seattle extension is planned to open in 2032, while the Everett extension is planned to open between 2037 and 2041.

Line 3, which will use the color magenta on maps and signage, is planned to share tracks with Line 2 (East Link) from International District/Chinatown station to the Mariner area in Everett, including most of the current Line 1 corridor. Its northern end will be constructed as part of the 16.3-mile (26.2 km) Everett Link Extension with six stations. Line 1 will be switched to a new tunnel in Downtown Seattle and continue towards Ballard as part of a separate project.

History

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
  • 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
• Tunnel proposal would require $700 million in new funding
  • $500 million alternative presented in September 2019
• January 2022: Draft EIS released

Proposals

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

Route

• Preliminary route
  • Draft EIS (January 2022): Summary, Alternatives Considered
• Duwamish fixed crossing
• Golf course alignment
• Elevated or underground for Alaska Junction

Stations

• International District/Chinatown
• Stadium (not served by Line 3, but will be rebuilt)
• SODO
• Delridge
• Avalon
• Alaska Junction

Service plans

• Magenta Line 3 from Everett
  • 2030: Only to SODO, with forced transfer; 2035: Extended into tunnel
• Projected ridership: 32,000 to 37,000 by 2040

External links

• Project page

Everett Link Extension

History

• 1957 highway rail plan
• SNOTRAN plans from the 1970s
• 1995 RTA plan

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

Judkins Park station

Judkins Park
Link light rail station
General information
Location	Interstate 90 and Rainier Avenue Seattle, Washington
Owned by	Sound Transit
Line(s)	Line 2
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2023 (2023) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service International District/Chinatown toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2023) 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 2023 and will be served by Line 2 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
• 2023: Expected opening date

Station layout

	East entrance	Exit to 23rd Avenue, ticket vending machines, drop-off area
Platform level	Westbound	← Line 2 toward Northgate (International District/Chinatown)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Eastbound	→ Line 2 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)
• Entrances: Rainier west side, east side; 23rd west side
• Rainier walkways required to cross WB (north) track to access platform after TVM/fare zone
• Design Commission resources
• Site map and vertical circulation diagram

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
Line(s)	Line 2
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2023 (2023) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service Judkins Park toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2023) 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 2023 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
• 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
• 2006-02: Old park and ride closes for renovations and expansion
  • Actual demolitions begins in April
• 2008-01: 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)

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
• 2023: 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
• 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	← Line 2 toward Northgate (Judkins Park)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left
	Eastbound	→ Line 2 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

South Bellevue
Link light rail station
General information
Location	2700 Bellevue Way SE Bellevue, Washington
Owned by	Sound Transit
Line(s)	Line 2
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
History
Opening	2023 (2023) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service Mercer Island toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2023) East Main toward Downtown Redmond

South Bellevue is a future elevated light rail station located in Bellevue, Washington, a suburb of Seattle.

The site is currently home to the South Bellevue Park and Ride, a park and ride that is served by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses.

Park and ride

• 519-stall park and ride, with island bus bay (bus sensors to trigger lights)

Location

• Mercer Slough
• Office park to the east
• Single-family residence to the west

Current transit

• ST 550, 555, 556, 560; Metro 241, 249, 981
• Long-term plan?

History

• 1981: New lot in South Bellevue opens
• 2017-05: Park and ride closes for East Link construction, replaced by temporary lots
• November 2021: Garage opens for bus riders and buses rerouted to new bus bays

Light rail

Population and jobs (within 0.5 miles)

• Population: 1,708
• Jobs: n/a
• No land use changes envisioned

Station layout

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

• 1,500-stall garage on east side of station with art screens
• Artwork: Vicky Scuri (acoustic panels) and Katy Stone (garage)
• Site map and vertical circulation diagram
• Connection to Mercer Slough trail
• Bike cage with 35 spaces

External links

• Project page

East Main station

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

Spring District/120th station

Design

• CAC 2016
  • Hotel and office abutting platforms
  • Retained cut with underground-style entrances
  • Park walk and 15th

TOD

• OMF East site
  • A Regional Coalition for Housing and BRIDGE to build affordable units
    • Funded in part by Amazon

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
Line(s)	Line 2
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opening	2023 (2023) (planned)
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station Future service Bel-Red/130th toward Lynnwood City Center 2 Line (2023) Redmond Technology toward Downtown Redmond

Overlake Village is a future light rail station in the Overlake neighborhood of Redmond, Washington. It is scheduled to open in 2023 as part of the East Link Extension (part of Line 2) and is one stop westbound of the project's 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 will be located along the south side of State Route 520, east of its interchange with 148th Avenue Northeast.

• 152nd & Shen (with Da Vinci)
• 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
• Overlake Park and Ride nearby
  • Current transit service: B Line, 249, 269, 895, 541

History

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

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 bicycle and pedestrian bridge will connect to the west side of State Route 520, with its stairs and ramp covering a bicycle cage adjacent to a pedestrian plaza.

• Design Review: February 2017
• Artwork by Leo Saul Bark (UW Station): guardrail on bridge referencing technology history
• Site map and vertical circulation diagram

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
Line(s)	Line 1
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)	Line 1
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)
• 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

ST3

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

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

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

Northgate Link

Main article: Northgate Link Extension

East Link

Main article: East Link Extension (Sound Transit)

Planned lines

• Lynnwood
• Federal Way
• Tacoma Hilltop
• ST3: Ballard, West Seattle, Kirkland–Issaquah, Everett, Tacoma, Tacoma CC
• Infill stations (2031)

Proposals

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