Link light rail – Seattle Transit Blog

Ridership Patterns for Link 1 Line

August 25, 2025August 24, 2025 by Michael Smith

The Link 1 Line runs between Angle Lake in SeaTac and Lynnwood via Tukwila, Seattle, Shoreline, and Mountlake Terrace. In May 2025, the 1 Line had 105,586 average weekday boardings.

The 1 Line initially opened in July 2009 and ran between downtown Seattle (Westlake) and Tukwila. Since then, it has expanded north to the University of Washington in 2016, Northgate in 2021, Lynnwood in 2024, and south to SeaTac in December 2009 and Angle Lake in 2016. The Federal Way Link Extension is expected to open later this year.

The ridership data discussed in this article is just a snapshot of the current system. Link is still a growing system and many of the non-Link transit projects being built in Puget Sound will have a direct or indirect impact on ridership over the next few decades. The methodology behind the data shown below is discussed in the first comment below the post.

Average Weekday Boardings Per Station

The plot below shows the average weekday boarding count by station in each direction in May 2025. Southbound boarding counts are shown on the left and northbound boarding counts are shown to the right. The alighting count for a given station is similar to the boarding count in the opposite direction.

Average 1 Line Weekday Boarding Counts in May 2025

The 1 Line ridership patterns show that the highest ridership occurs between downtown Seattle and Northgate. U District has the higher number of southbound boardings and SeaTac/Airport has the highest number of northbound boardings. All stations north of the Montlake Cut (UW and above) have more southbound than northbound boardings. All stations south of UW have more northbound passengers.

Some observations for each station:

Future Boeing Access Road Station moves to East Marginal Way

March 28, 2025March 28, 2025 by Tim Bond

On March 13, Sound Transit staff recommended the East Marginal Way location for the Boeing Access Road infill station rather than the originally planned location between I-5 and Sounder tracks next to the South Boeing Access Road overpass. Sound Transit held an open house in late February and reviewed both possible locations with the community.

The Boeing Access Road station was included in the 1996 Sound Move Plan but was not authorized by voters until ST3 passed in 2016. ST3 promised the station with 300 parking stalls, which is about half of the parking at Tukwila International Boulevard Station. Besides the platform and parking lot, the station will include two bus bays, a “kiss & ride” drop-off zone, as well as space for other drop off services such as Metro Flex or private employer shuttles. The targeted opening date is in 2031.

Locations considered for the Boeing Access Road Station (Sound Transit). Sound Transit staff have recommended a location on East Marginal Way near South 112th Street.

Busway for SeaTac Airport

November 30, 2024November 29, 2024 by Martin Pagel

To accommodate growing passenger and cargo levels, the Port of Seattle plans to build new terminal for SeaTac Airport with their Sustainable Airport Master Plan. In addition, Concourse C will be expanded with 4 additional levels. There’s a slew of other projects but this article will focus on the transportation aspects for passengers and travelers. While earlier plans had called for a new people mover, the latest plan will only build an elevated busway.

West Seattle Link Route Selection

November 18, 2024November 15, 2024 by Martin Pagel

During their meeting on October 24th, the Sound Transit Board selected the preferred alignment for the West Seattle Link Extension (WSLE). They also authorized staff to have their partners develop the final design for the stations and stub line between SODO and West Seattle. It will also include the connection to the existing SODO operations and maintenance facility. They also asked staff to look for ways to reduce cost. I reviewed the recording and staff presentation and thought I would share some observations.

West Seattle Link and Climate Change

October 9, 2024October 8, 2024 by Martin Pagel

Recent Hurricane Helene and numerous other weather events around the world have reinvigorated the discussion on how to slow down the climate change related to carbon emissions. Transportation is the largest contributor to those emissions, so many efforts focus on it, in particular to reduce individual car usage. Many transit advocates push for more transit infrastructure investments to make it more attractive to switch from individual car use to transit with its associated lower emissions. This was one of the primary goals of ST3, too. Of course, the initial construction of such infrastructure also generates emissions which need to be considered. I reviewed the recently published West Seattle Link Extension Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as well as the prior Draft (DEIS), and contacted the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to learn about the trade-offs. Unfortunately, the current preferred alignment will not help the region.

West Seattle Link Costs Keep Climbing

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024 by Nathan Dickey

*A rendering of the West Seattle Link Extension’s planned cable-stayed bridge over the Duwamish. (Sound Transit)*

Last week, Sound Transit released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the West Seattle Link Extension (WSLE) ahead of its scheduled publication date of September 20. Although there’s technically one more comment period allowed for the FEIS, the massive document and its findings present a detailed review of each of the potential alternative paths Link may take from SODO to West Seattle.

Although the FEIS is focused on a vast range of potential tangible and intangible impacts the project may have, left unstated are the potential impacts of the project costs significantly exceeding Sound Transit’s assumptions in their 2021 Realignment.

Lynnwood Link Opening Ceremonies

July 20, 2024July 22, 2024 by Nathan Dickey

A four-car light rail vehicle stopped at the Lynnwood City Center station on the first day of full-size train testing on the 1 Line link extension to Lynnwood, July 8, 2024. — *A Link light rail train stopped at the Lynnwood Center Station during service testing.*
*Photo: Peter Bohler courtesy of Sound Transit.*

On Thursday, Sound Transit staff presented the plan for Lynnwood Link Extension’s opening ceremonies to the Board’s Rider Experience and Operations Committee.

At 11am on Friday, August 30, Sound Transit will hold a ribbon cutting to formally open the Lynnwood Link Extension of the 1 Line. Like the opening ceremony of the 2 Line, the ribbon cutting will be preceded by speeches from elected officials, board members, and stakeholders. The first official public ride will take place from Lynnwood City Center Station following the ceremony.

That evening (4pm to 8pm), Sound Transit is planning a Night Market at Lynnwood City Center station and events at each of the stations opening along the line. ST estimates over 350 organizations are signed up to participate across the four opening stations, including performances, food vendors, arts and crafts booths, games, and more. There will also be a commemorative map encouraging participants to visit new each station along the extension.

Graham Street Station Project

July 9, 2024July 8, 2024 by Martin Pagel

As part of ST3, Sound Transit plans to build an infill station at Graham Street between the Columbia City and Othello stations. To start the public engagement, Sound Transit opened an online open house and will host an in-person event on Tuesday, July 16th, nearby.

*Area of future Graham Street station, facing north along MLK Way. Photo: Martin Pagel*.

In Defense of West Seattle Link

June 13, 2024December 15, 2025 by Nathan Dickey

Ever since the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure was being assembled, the West Seattle Link Extension has been a contentious project. Frank Chiachiere wrote in 2016: “not since the days of the Monorail has a rapid transit extension stirred up so much debate amongst the armchair planners.” Transit advocates have long known the project would be expensive and difficult, but for an extension that was strongly demanded by Seattle leaders and definitively approved by ST3 voters, why is it still so controversial? Let’s look at how we got here, starting with a brief history of how the current project came to be, and think about where we should be going.

This map from “The Rapid Transit Plan for the Metropolitan Seattle Area”, 1970, highlights the topographic difficulties facing any project to connect West Seattle to Downtown. Image clipped from a scan shared by Bruce Englehardt on Reddit.

West Seattle by Bus instead of Light Rail

June 7, 2024June 7, 2024 by Martin Pagel

Rather than building a light rail extension for West Seattle, how could Metro provide better transit to/from West Seattle with additional bus services? Forward Thrust had envisioned such decades ago.

Forward Thrust map
(black solid: rail black dotted: busway)

The rush to reach West Seattle

March 12, 2024March 11, 2024 by Martin Pagel

Last week Sound Transit revealed more details about three grandiose new stations in West Seattle, one hugely upgraded SODO station, and a big cable-stayed (“suspension”) bridge over the Duwamish. On Thursday the System Expansion Committee will discuss early land acquisitions. This seems to indicate that the Board takes approval of the extension for granted though the final EIS is not expected to be released until June. In the meantime, the target opening of the Ballard extension has been pushed out from 2035 to 2039, partially due to lack of funding. What would happen to land already acquired if the line would fail to obtain federal funding or the Board would decide to focus on Ballard instead? Are we making the right tradeoffs?

Environmental Impact of Transit Projects such as the West Seattle Link Extension

October 3, 2023October 3, 2023 by Martin Pagel

One of the FTA’s stated goals is to help “metropolitan areas meet national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) by reducing overall vehicle emissions and the pollutants that create smog” and to reduce “fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.” So we just need to build more transit, right? But what about construction-related emissions? The recent Seattle Transportation Plan (p. 188 3-98) draft states that, “Given the transient nature of construction-related emissions and regulatory improvements scheduled to be phased in, construction-related emissions associated with all alternatives would be considered only a minor adverse air quality effect.” However, Sound Transit’s draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) estimates that the West Seattle Link extension (WSLE) will generate 614,461 tons of carbon. As so often the answer is: It depends!

A win-win for the CID dilemma: Stick with current tunnel

March 18, 2023March 19, 2023 by Martin Pagel

New proposals for a second tunnel would increase cost, but none provide a compelling rider experience. Let’s just improve our existing tunnel and use the savings to make up for lost time on other projects.

ST3 promised higher capacity transit through downtown by building a second tunnel with seamless transfers at Westlake and Chinatown/International District (CID), along with an additional Midtown station at 5th & Madison. But after looking into the details, the seamless transfers may not be achievable. The tunnel would be far more complex, time consuming and expensive to build than anticipated. It would also burden the CID, which has already seen a lot of construction-related disruption and loss of properties. Sound Transit abandoned the idea of a station on 5th Avenue South and proposed a shallower 4th Avenue South station. But this station would increase construction time and cost. Because of the additional burden to the neighborhood, there have been two recent guest editorials against it, in The Seattle Times and The Stranger. Sound Transit responded by proposing to combine the Midtown station with a North CID station close to Pioneer Square and/or a South CID station as an alternative. Unfortunately, neither station would provide easy access to the heart of the CID, nor to King Street station with Sounder, Amtrak, the streetcar, and many bus lines along Jackson Street, 2nd Avenue, and Yesler Way. Currently the 1 Line stops at 5 stations downtown (Stadium, CID, Pioneer Square, University Street, Westlake). This new line would now stop at only 2 or 3 stations, forcing a transfer at SODO which neither provides frequent service nor is well designed as a transit station, as Stephen Fesler pointed out. Residents are concerned it would break South Seattle apart when they are already suffering from frequent accidents and disruptions due to the at grade alignment.

While various alignments and station locations have been discussed, It is time to focus on an alternative which Sound Transit considered before they put the 2nd tunnel proposal before voters: to upgrade the existing tunnel to allow interlining of all lines through the existing tunnel. Capacity would increase, likely with better signaling systems and better ventilation. MUNI did this in 2010 and Frankfurt just started. This would avoid any disruption of the CID, be available much sooner, and be much better for riders. There are more stations in the existing tunnel, they are closer to the surface. Same direction transfers would be trivial. Reverse directions would be easy, and even easier if center platforms were added. The carbon footprint would be far lower (WSBLE is currently estimated to generate 3 million tons of carbon), and of course, this would be much cheaper.

The case for Automated Light Metro Technology for Ballard and South Lake Union

February 20, 2023February 20, 2023 by Martin Pagel

Sept. 2020 rendering of 160 Street Station on the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension. (TransLink)

ST3 passed enthusiastically in the Seattle region because voters were excited to get mobility improvements. However, Sound Transit has had trouble coming up with compelling designs to deliver on this promise. To address this problem, we should revisit some of the design assumptions.

Vancouver’s SkyTrain and Montreal’s REM took far less time to design and construct. We can learn from them and adopt automated train technology. If Sound Transit would interline trains in the existing tunnel and keep the Ballard to Westlake line separate, the new line could use different technology.

What do we name the different Link lines?

February 12, 2020February 12, 2020 by Gerick Lee

A few months ago, Sound Transit backtracked on their decision to name the different Link lines after colors (e.g. Red Line, Blue Line, etc.). This was a wise move for several reasons, among them the history of red-lining in housing, the difficulty of explaining what “red” is to non-English speakers, and potential difficulties for colorblind users.

While Sound Transit have already committed to changing the naming scheme, they have yet to announce what that scheme will be. While many different name examples abound in transit systems around the world, I will contest that naming our rail lines “L-number” (e.g. L1, L2, etc.) is the best for a number of reasons, including local and international consistency, ease of explanation to new users, and simplicity.

Six possible line designators, chosen to be maximally colorblind safe.

Today, our bus-heavy system already uses numbers (the 8) and letters (RapidRide E), meaning any name will need to distinguish itself from those. Since our rail system is regularly referred to as Link Light Rail, naming Link lines L1, L2, and so on will make it easy for users to know that they need a train, not a bus, in a manner consistent with local standards. Additionally, many systems around the world use a similar naming scheme – Barcelona, Munich, Mexico City, Bilbao, and many more cities use a similar pattern. Copying their consensus will make life easier for visitors used to other systems.

A “Precedent Setting” $10 million Mercer Island Settlement

June 24, 2017June 23, 2017 by Lizz Giordano

I-90 Floating Bridge and Mercer Island (Image: Joe Wolf)

The Sound Transit Board approved a $10 million settlement agreement with Mercer Island after residents lost special access to Interstate 90 due to the expansion of light rail. Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, a Sound Transit board member, cast the only dissenting vote during the board’s June 22 meeting.

“As a fiduciary of this organization I’m not going to be able to support this today,” Strickland said. “We have to look at things such as equity and fairness.”

“Some of this agreement does include the mitigations we would make, but it’s not a $2 million settlement, it’s not a $4 million settlement, it’s not a $6 million settlement, it’s a $10 million settlement,” she added. “In the world of Sound Transit maybe that’s budget dust, but we are setting a precedent. It’s not about the amount, it’s about setting a precedent, despite the fact that we, Sound Transit, keep winning in court.”

In February the Mercer Island City Council voted to sue Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) after the town lost special access to I-90’s high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to make room for light rail. Mercer Island drivers would now have to abide by the HOV-2 standards. Mercer Island argued that a 1976 agreement provided them with lasting rights to HOV lanes, while WSDOT said that single-occupant vehicle (SOV) access to HOV lanes was intended to be temporary, and allowing continued SOV use of HOV lanes would violate federal law and jeopardize funding agreements.

Bellevue Councilmember and Sound Transit board member Claudia Balducci defended the settlement, calling it fair, reasonable, and the board’s responsibility after conditions changed and Mercer Island was no longer able to retain the same access to I-90. Continue reading “A “Precedent Setting” $10 million Mercer Island Settlement”

SR520 Route Restructure Open House

June 23, 2017June 23, 2017 by Lizz Giordano

Eastside bus riders, feeling the slow-down from traffic congestion, have already begun taking advantage of the quick ride the Link Light Rail offers, transferring to the train at the University Washington Station to head downtown.

“It’s just six minutes from UW to Westlake on the train,” said Ted Day, a transit planner for King County Metro, during an open house presentation on June 19 near the UW Station. “That’s incredible. There’s no other way you can do that, except in the air, and I don’t know many people who own helicopters.”

“People are already adapting, getting on the Link at the UW Station to come downtown,” he added.

King County Metro and Sound Transit, preparing for increased congestion on Seattle’s streets on top of the closure of the Downtown Transit Tunnel to buses, are planning a major restructuring of Eastside bus routes for 2018.

This is the first restructuring of Eastside buses to facilitate better connections to light rail, the transit agencies plan to funnel downtown-bound Eastside bus riders to the UW Station. The restructuring would then free up buses that would have been entangled in downtown traffic, allowing the agencies to expand services to new areas and increase the frequency of buses throughout the day.

Three options were presented:

No change to service
“Frequency focus”: Redirect all routes to the UW light rail station with new service to South Lake Union, Children’s Hospital and South Kirkland
“Connections focus”: Redirect some routes to the UW light rail station with new service to South Lake Union, Children’s Hospital and South Kirkland

The June 19 meeting was sparsely attended with most participants wandering in after seeing signs posted for the event. For many attendees of the open house, either alternative option would improve their commute due to the expanded services to SLU and north of the University. The main difference between the two plans is with option b buses would be more frequent while option c allows for better connections for new service areas.

Participants were asked to rank the options, the most popular was option b, focusing on increasing frequency of buses. Riders acknowledged that transferring to link when heading downtown will eventually be faster than traveling by bus.

Jonathan Dubman, a transit rider who has advocated for better bus-rail connections at the UW Station, wants to see the transfer experience improved.

Continue reading “SR520 Route Restructure Open House”

WPC: “Sound Transit officials may not need any tax increase to build more light rail”

May 6, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

Folks, if there’s any truth in this Washington Policy Center op-ed, I think we need to discuss a potential option if we do not get ST3. Most of us here are not too keen on extending the spine to Everett with an expensive Paine Field detour of questionable value when a better bus network & a vastly improved marketing campaign would work wonders. Almost all of us here are of the view that Ballard needs a light rail spur.

So when I came across these Washington Policy Center allegations, I had to share so we could discuss this:

Sound Transit officials may not need any tax increase to build more light rail. How? Because of the revenue that is hidden in the way Sound Transit officials calculate their future borrowing costs.

Sound Transit officials’ most recently adopted financial plan through 2023 assumes they will borrow $7.3 billion at a 5.75% interest rate, paid off over 30 years. Their interest rate cost assumption is high, especially since they are actually issuing debt now at far-lower interest rates.

In 2012 Sound Transit officials borrowed $216 million at a rate of only 2.62%, less than half of what they assume as their future interest rate cost. Just a few months ago, they borrowed $1.3 billion as a federal TIFIA loan at a 2.38% interest rate. The TIFIA loan can be paid off over 40 years, and the first payment isn’t due until 2028! Today, Sound Transit could borrow money for 30 years at fixed interest rates between 2% to 3% (or at lower variable rates), about half of its current budget assumption.

So what does this mean?

If Sound Transit officials simply changed their financial plan to assume a more-realistic 3% interest rate, they could borrow an additional $2.2 billion without raising regressive taxes and keep their debt payments the same. That is enough public money to build light rail to downtown Redmond (approximately $800 million) and build much of the line from Ballard to U.W. (approximately $1.7 billion) without raising regressive tax rates at all.

Sound Transit’s financial report shows the agency thinks it can only borrow $7.3 billion at current tax rates, when they may actually be able to borrow closer to $9.4 billion without raising taxes. This is not fair to the taxpayers.

We agree with using conservative estimates and careful budgeting by public agencies, but in this case, the interest rate estimates Sound Transit officials are using are extreme, and come at the expense of the taxpayers.

I am of the view we do need these projects as a state. I am also of the view we need to force Snohomish County to come to reality about their transit situation. I am finally unqualified to speak of transit needs between Tacoma & Seattle – I will leave that to the comment threads. But this is something we in the STB community need to discuss and have a no-new-taxes contingency plan ready to unite behind and present to Sound Transit’s Board if necessary either if the legislature nips ST3 in the bud or the voters reject ST3.

One last thing: If you have evidence the above WPC op-ed is untrue, present it. Otherwise…

Timing out Ballard to Issaquah via Sand Point

December 5, 2014December 5, 2014 by Peyton S.

View post on imgur.com

A couple of days ago there was a great deal of discussion about the merits and costs of a Sand Point crossing. There are two things that a study would find out that everybody would like to know; the monetary cost of the crossing and the potential ridership over the connection. Unfortunately I can’t give any insight into those things. What I can to do is provide some tangible benefits based on travel time using Seattle Subway’s previous posts about the Crossing, Ballard Spur and Better Eastside rail.

Continue reading “Timing out Ballard to Issaquah via Sand Point”

Sound Transit Board to Vote Thursday on P&R Parking Permits

July 22, 2013July 22, 2013 by David Lawson

Tukwila Int'l Blvd. Station — Tukwila International Boulevard Station, by l0st2

Paid P&R parking is getting its nose under the tent at Sound Transit.

In its meeting last Thursday, the Operations and Administration Committee of the ST Board voted to recommend that the full Board approve a parking pilot program. The Board is expected to vote in favor at its Thursday meeting. The pilot is described in this draft board motion which was attached to the agenda for the committee meeting.

By far the most noteworthy component of the pilot program is paid parking permits, which would guarantee parking availability at high-demand P&R lots to permit holders, even if they arrive later in the morning. This is a first in the Puget Sound area. ST would initially reserve 20% of the spaces at the following four ST-operated P&R facilities for permit holders:

Tukwila International Boulevard Station
Issaquah Transit Center
Sumner Station
Mukilteo Station

This is fantastic news. Details below the jump.
Continue reading “Sound Transit Board to Vote Thursday on P&R Parking Permits”