As of October 2, commuters and travelers have more options for fast, reliable travel with Sound Transit’s new Northgate light rail extension.
The 4.3-mile extension added three new stations at Northgate, Roosevelt, and the U District. It takes just 13 minutes to travel from Northgate to downtown Seattle! See video of the new Northgate Link here.
The extension was part of the voter-approved 2008 Sound Transit 2 ballot measure, which the Seattle Metro Chamber endorsed and advocated for. Construction began in 2012, and the extension includes 3.5 miles of twin tunnels that were bored starting in 2014. Boring was completed in 2016, guideway construction was completed in 2018, and rail installation occurred in 2019. The extension’s stations were completed in 2021 and test trains have been operating since August. The project was delivered for approximately $50 million under budget, Sound Transit said.
“I am thrilled with the opening of the Northgate light rail extension – it is such an exciting step forward for our region,” said Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber. She said, “This extension gives tens of thousands of people an alternative to sitting in traffic on I-5, and it’s incredible to see the vision for a regional light rail system continue to come to life. Our business community has proudly supported Sound Transit from the start because robust public transportation is vital to an equitable, inclusive, and competitive metro region.”
Smith added, “The Northgate extension also comes at an important time for our recovery. I know that for thousands of people, it will make return to work and school a bit easier, and that for many of our member businesses along the line, it makes it easier for people to come in for an appointment, to grab a bite, or to shop.”
The Link light rail network will nearly triple in reach in the next three years, from 22 miles to 62 miles, with service to Tacoma’s Hilltop in 2022, East King County in 2023 and Lynnwood, Federal Way and Downtown Redmond in 2024.
The opening of Northgate Link also brings important service changes for bus riders, including changes to better integrate bus service with the new light rail stations. King County Metro restored or added service to 48 bus routes, revised 27 routes, added 6 new routes, and eliminated 18 routes. These changes seek to align routes with Link light rail, increase east-west connections, and improve frequency on local and all-day routes. With these changes, service is now at almost 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Snohomish County’s Community Transit also made service changes, adding service to 13 routes, making changes to service on 15 routes, and eliminating one route. View more information about service changes for King County Metro, Community Transit, and Sound Transit.