(The Center Square) – Sound Transit’s light rail extension to Lynnwood has a set date for passenger services to begin after more than 10 years designing, planning and construction. The Link 1 line extension will begin services north of Northgate to Lynnwood on Aug. 30.
The 8.5-mile segment will add four new stations, including two in Shoreline, one in Mountlake Terrace, and the final stop in the Lynnwood City Center.
The $3.1 billion project includes up to $1.17 billion from a grant agreement executed by the Federal Transit Administration.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau also executed a $658 million loan supporting the project. According to Sound Transit, the agreement should save regional taxpayers between $200 million and $300 million through lower interest costs.
The Link 1 line first began planning in 2010 and started construction in 2019 after voters initially approved the plan in 2008.
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of commitment and hard work on the part of Sound Transit’s project team, our contractors, and the construction workers,” Sound Transit CEO Goran Sparrman said in a news release.
Last month, Sound Transit delayed the opening of the 2 Line over Lake Washington until after the Lynnwood Link extension is finished to allow the agency to store new rail cars at its new operations and maintenance facility in Bellevue.
The Center Square previously reported that this decision by the agency was done due to the other operations and maintenance facility in Seattle’s SODO District already being at full capacity, limiting storage options and creating the potential for crowded conditions on trains when the Lynnwood extension opens.
The changes will create 25% more capacity on trains, reducing crowding, especially during afternoon peak hours.
Sound Transit projects the light rail extension to serve 47,000 to 55,000 daily riders by 2026.
