Link light rail
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 non-connected lines: the 1 Line (formerly Central Link) in King County, which travels for 26 miles (42 km) between Seattle and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport; and the T Line (formerly Tacoma Link) in Pierce County, which runs for 4 miles (6.4 km) between Downtown Tacoma and Tacoma Dome Station. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 23.9 million, or about 78,600 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily on the 1 Line. Trains run at frequencies of 6 to 24 minutes.
The Link light rail system was originally conceived in the 1980s following several earlier proposals for a
Sound Transit plans to expand the Link light rail network to 116 miles (187 km) and 70 stations by 2044, using funding approved by voters in 2008 and
History
The first public transit networks in the
Following the 1968 and 1970 rejection of the
In 1993, the
The Downtown Tacoma line, named Tacoma Link, was preceded by a shuttle bus from the new Tacoma Dome multimodal station built by Pierce Transit in 1997. The project was anticipated to revitalize the city's downtown and serve the new University of Washington Tacoma campus.[18] The line's 1.6-mile (2.6 km) route—primarily on Commerce Street and Pacific Avenue—was approved in 1999 and construction officially began on October 18, 2000.[19][20] Tacoma Link opened on August 22, 2003, with five stations, and cost $80.4 million (equivalent to $128 million in 2023 dollars)[11] to construct.[21] The line had no fares and exceeded its 2010 ridership projections by early 2003, carrying its 500,000th passenger in April of the year.[22]
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, debates raged over various issues surrounding the Central Link line, which would connect Sea-Tac to Seattle. In the late nineties and early 2000s, Sound Transit underwent a series of financial and political difficulties. The cost of the line rose significantly,[23] and the federal government threatened to withhold necessary grants.[24] In 2001, Sound Transit was forced to shorten the line from the original proposal, and growing enthusiasm for the proposed monorail brought rising opposition to the light rail from Seattle-area residents.[25]
On November 8, 2003, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Central Link light rail line. Central Link opened between
In November 2006, the U.S.
In September 2019, Sound Transit renamed Central Link to the Red Line and Tacoma Link to the Orange Line as part of their update to transit branding.[30] Two months later, the agency announced that it would consider a new name for the Red Line after complaints because of the similarity of the "Red Line" with redlining as well as confusion over King County Metro's RapidRide system (which utilizes red bullets for its service routes).[31] A new naming scheme came into effect in 2021, using the "1 Line" (green) for the existing line in Seattle, the "2 Line" (blue) for East Link, and the "T Line" (orange) for Tacoma Link. Future light rail extensions will use the "3 Line" (magenta) and the "4 Line" (purple), alongside new names for Sounder and bus rapid transit services.[32][33]
Lines
1 Line (Northgate–Angle Lake)
The 1 Line, formerly Central Link, is a light rail line serving 19 stations in Seattle, SeaTac, and Tukwila, using trains of three to four cars that each have a normal capacity of 194 passengers with up to 74 seats.[34][35] It connects Northgate, the University of Washington, and Downtown Seattle to the Rainier Valley and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, using tunnels, elevated guideways, and surface-running sections.[36] Trains run every 8 minutes during peak periods and 10–15 minutes at other times with trips from 4:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 5:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Sundays.[37][38] In 2019, the 1 Line carried over 25 million passengers and averaged nearly 80,000 on weekdays, making it the busiest transit route in the Seattle region.[39]
The initial 13.9-mile (22.4 km) segment of Central Link was opened on July 18, 2009, between Westlake and Tukwila International Boulevard stations.[28] The northernmost four stations, in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, were shared with buses until they were rerouted in 2019.[40] The line was extended six months after opening to SeaTac/Airport station, a 1.7-mile (2.7 km) project that began construction in 2006 due to delays in planning.[41][42] A northern extension to the University of Washington campus with two stations in a 3.15-mile (5.07 km) tunnel opened on March 19, 2016.[43] A one-stop extension to Angle Lake station to the south opened in September of that year.[44] The latest extension, to Northgate with two intermediate stations, opened on October 2, 2021, bringing the line to over 24 miles (39 km).[34]
T Line (Tacoma Dome–St. Joseph)
The
Trains on the line typically run every 12 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays and every 20 minutes on Sundays and holidays. The T Line has service from 4:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and reduced hours on other days,[52] but operating hours are extended for major evening events at the Tacoma Dome.[37][53] In 2019, the line carried approximately 935,000 passengers and averaged 3,100 riders on weekdays.[39] Patronage peaked in 2012 at over 1 million passengers, but has declined since then.[54] Fares were not collected until the 2023 opening of the Hilltop Extension; unlike the rest of the Link network, the T Line uses a flat fare rather than a distance-based fare.[55][56]
Stations
As of 2023[update], the Link light rail system has
Platforms for both lines have a minimum width of 12 feet (3.7 m) each for a pair of
Fares
Link uses a
Fares on the 1 Line and 2 Line are calculated based on distance traveled, ranging from $2.25 to $3.50 for adults.
Infrastructure
1 Line trains are operated and maintained by King County Metro, who also run paratransit service along the corridor. The Central Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) in SODO is used to store, maintain, and clean trains during off-peak and overnight hours.[37][82] The facility covers 26 acres (10.5 ha) and is located between SODO and Beacon Hill stations. It opened in 2007 and has a capacity of 105 light rail vehicles, including nine bays inside the 162,000-square-foot (15,100 m2) maintenance building that can hold 16 vehicles.[83][84][85] An additional maintenance facility in Bellevue is planned to open with the 2 Line with a capacity of 96 vehicles.[86] T Line trains are directly operated by Sound Transit and maintained at a facility in Tacoma.[37]
Rolling stock
This section needs to be updated.(April 2024) |
As of 2021[update], the Link light rail system uses a total of 102 low-floor light rail vehicles—99 for the 1 Line and 3 for the T Line.[37] The 1 Line fleet comprises two models, the Series 1 by Kinkisharyo–Mitsui and the Series 2 by Siemens Mobility, that are both 95 feet (29 m) long with a pair of operator cabs and an articulated center.[87] Both models are able to run in four-car consists but do not have cross-compatibility.[35][88] All Link vehicles allow for level boarding and feature accessible seating areas that can be folded up for wheelchair users.[61] A form of positive train control is used to prevent trains from exceeding the set speed limit for a given area.[89] By 2025, the Link fleet will have 214 total vehicles for use on the 1 Line and 2 Line as well as five for the T Line.[90][91]
The Series 1 fleet of 62 cars, manufactured in
The Series 2 fleet, retroactively designated the Siemens S700,[100] was commissioned in 2016 as part of a $642 million order to support the ST2 expansion program. The vehicles were manufactured in Sacramento, California, and are the same length and width as the Series 1 fleet, but feature a wider aisle in the articulated section, improved passenger information displays, and larger windows.[88][101] The first vehicle was delivered in June 2019 and entered service in May 2021;[88] the final car in the full 152-car order is planned to be delivered by 2024.[101][102]
In 2022, Sound Transit began planning specifications for a Series 3 that would have approximately 100 vehicles. It is expected to begin delivery in 2029 and be complete in 2032 for the first batch of ST3 projects.[103]
The T Line fleet consists of three low-floor articulated Škoda 10 T streetcars that were manufactured in the Czech Republic by Škoda Transportation.[104] They are 66 feet (20.12 m) long, 8 feet (2.44 m) wide, and have two articulation joints, between which is a low-floor section.[105] Each vehicle has 30 seats and can carry an additional 85 standing passengers at crush loads.[106] The Škoda fleet will be supplemented in 2023 by a set of five Brookville Liberty streetcars, which were ordered in 2017.[107] The Brookville Liberty streetcars each have 26 seats and can carry a total of 100 passengers; they were delivered in 2022.[91][108]
Electricity
Trains are supplied electricity through an
Since December 2020, the Link light rail system has been running fully on
Signals and controls
Link light rail uses some form of positive train control and train-to-wayside communications.[111]
Future expansion
The Link light rail system is planned to be expanded to 116 miles (187 km) with five lines and 70 stations by 2044 that are forecast to carry 750,000 daily passengers.
Since 2016, the original timelines for both expansion packages have been modified due to the
All five lines are planned to connect at various hubs and interline in some areas to increase frequency in high-demand corridors. Upon completion of several planned extensions in the 2020s and 2030s, the 1 Line would run from Tacoma Dome Station to Downtown Seattle, where it would use a new tunnel, and continue northwest to
In 2023, the
2 Line (Mariner–Redmond)
The
3 Line (Everett–West Seattle)
The
4 Line (South Kirkland–Issaquah)
The 4 Line, the fifth Link light rail line, is scheduled to open in 2041 or 2044 depending on funding availability and would only serve the Eastside. The line is planned to run from the South Kirkland park-and-ride towards Downtown Bellevue, where it would interline with the 2 Line, and continue along Interstate 90 to Issaquah.[131][132] It is planned to include four new stations and total 11.8 miles (19.0 km) in length;[131] an earlier proposal for the line continued on the Cross Kirkland Corridor to a terminus in Downtown Kirkland but was not included in the ST3 plan due to opposition from local residents.[133][134]
Future segments
Some figures and dates are provisional due to quality control, geological risk, and labor issues that have caused delays in some projects.[114][135]
Project[136] | Line(s)[121] | Status[137] | Termini[121] | Length[136] | New stations[121] | Expected opening[114][138] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Link Starter Line
|
2 Line | Under construction | South Bellevue | Redmond Technology | 6.3 miles (10.1 km)[139] | 8 | April 27, 2024[124] |
Lynnwood Link Extension
|
1 Line 2 Line |
Under construction | Northgate | Lynnwood City Center
|
8.5 miles (13.7 km) | 4 | August 30, 2024[140] |
East Link Extension
|
2 Line | Under construction | International District/Chinatown | South Bellevue | 4 miles (6.4 km) | 4 | 2025[125] |
Downtown Redmond Link Extension
|
2 Line | Under construction | Redmond Technology | Downtown Redmond | 3.7 miles (6.0 km)[141] | 2 | 2025[125] |
Federal Way Link Extension | 1 Line | Under construction | Angle Lake | Federal Way Downtown | 7.8 miles (12.6 km) | 3 | 2026[142] |
West Seattle Link Extension
|
3 Line | Environmental review | SODO | Alaska Junction
|
4.7 miles (7.6 km) | 3 | 2032 |
Tacoma Dome Link Extension
|
1 Line | Environmental review | Federal Way Downtown | Tacoma Dome | 9.7 miles (15.6 km) | 4 | 2035[143] |
Ballard Link Extension
|
1 Line | Environmental review | International District/Chinatown | Ballard
|
7.1 miles (11.4 km) | 8 | 2037 to 2039 |
Everett Link Extension
|
3 Line | Planned | Lynnwood City Center
|
Everett | 16.3 miles (26.2 km) | 6–7 | 2037 to 2041 |
TCC Tacoma Link Extension | T Line | Planned | St. Joseph | Tacoma Community College | 3.5 miles (5.6 km)[144] | 6 | 2039 or 2041 |
South Kirkland–Issaquah Link Extension
|
4 Line
|
Planned | South Kirkland | Issaquah | 11.8 miles (19.0 km)[131] | 4 | 2041 or 2044 |
Land-use impacts
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) |
An expressed purpose in building the Link light rail system has been to support a "smart growth" approach to handling the region's population growth and development.[145][146] By concentrating new development along light rail lines (a practice known as "transit-oriented development"), more people can live more densely without the increases in automotive commuting traffic that might otherwise be expected.[147] In addition, the concentration of residents near stations helps maintain ridership and revenue. Climate change activists also point out that compact development around light rail lines has been shown to result in reductions in residents' CO2 emissions, compared to more conventional suburban automotive commutes.[148]
Environmentalists, transportation groups and some affordable housing advocates have sought greater government regulatory support for transit-oriented development along Link light rail, and in 2009 a bill was introduced in the Washington State Legislature that would have raised allowable densities (as well as lowering parking requirements and easing some other regulations on development) in station areas. As part of Sound Transit 3 in 2016, the Washington State Legislature mandated that Sound Transit reserve at least 80% of the surplus land surrounding light rail stations for affordable housing developments.[149]
See also
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