A new 3-mile segment of Seattle’s Link light rail is set to open Saturday, adding service from the University of Washington to downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac airport. Named the “University Link”, the extension opens six months ahead of schedule and $200 million under budget.
The line service will have two new stations, one located at the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium and the second located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Sound Transit service says the university extension will add 71,000 riders to the system by 2030.
“Just opening these two stations is going to come close to doubling our light rail ridership over time," said Peter Rogoff, CEO of Sound Transit. “Whenever you connect big employers and big densely population areas by rail, people flock to it.”
Link light rail will eventually run to Lynnwood in the north, Overlake in Redmond to the east and south of Sea-Tac airport. Another new station is expected to open this fall in SeaTac, which would extend light rail 1.6 miles south of the airport. Sound Transit 3, before voters this fall, could connect "the spine" father than that.
