SeaTac/Airport station

Coordinates: 47°26′43″N 122°17′49″W / 47.44528°N 122.29694°W / 47.44528; -122.29694
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

kiss and ride facility
Bicycle facilitiesLockers
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedDecember 19, 2009 (2009-12-19)
Passengers
5,340 daily weekday boardings (2023)[1]
1,912,075 total boardings (2023)[1]
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station
Link
Tukwila International Boulevard
toward Northgate
1 Line Angle Lake
Terminus

SeaTac/Airport station is a light rail station in SeaTac, Washington, serving Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. It is on the 1 Line between Angle Lake and Tukwila International Boulevard stations. The line, part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system, runs north from SeaTac through the Rainier Valley to Downtown Seattle and the University of Washington. The station consists of an elevated island platform east of the terminals and parking garage of the airport.

SeaTac/Airport station opened on December 19, 2009, several months after the rest of the Central Link stations. Until the opening of Angle Lake station in 2016, it served as the line's southern terminus. Trains serve the station twenty hours a day on most days; the headway between trains is six minutes during peak periods, with less frequent service at other times. SeaTac/Airport station is also served by the RapidRide A Line, two Sound Transit Express bus routes and two King County Metro bus routes.

Location

SeaTac/Airport station is on the west side of

multi-family housing and mobile home parks. Within a 12 mile (0.80 km) radius of the station is a population of 4,024 residents and a total of 9,187 jobs.[3]

The area surrounding SeaTac/Airport station is designated as a Regional Growth Center by the

late 2000s recession and subsequent shortfalls in tax revenue, the entertainment district plan was dropped entirely in June 2010 by the city council.[7][8]

History

SeaTac/Airport station under construction in 2009

The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport was built in 1944 and began commercial service in 1947.[9] During the airport's first major expansion in the 1960s, provisions were made to build facilities for "some form of rapid transit".[10] The Port of Seattle, a government agency that operates the airport, studied a rapid transit system between downtown and the airport in the 1960s, but took no further action.[11]

After the

Supersonic Transport program.[14][15]

The

transit authority (RTA) was formed in the early 1990s to study a regional light rail system, first proposing a $6.7 billion plan in 1995 with service to Sea-Tac Airport via International Boulevard.[19] The proposal was rejected by voters in March 1995,[20] leading to a smaller, $3.9 billion proposal approved by voters the following year, with stations at the airport and South 200th Street.[20][21][22]

The RTA, later renamed to

Satellite Transit System, and a potential station at South 184th Street to serve the city center.[25][26][27]

The light rail project exceeded its budget in 2001, leading to Sound Transit truncating the line at

parking garage was proposed, but Sound Transit estimated that it would not have enough funds to extend light rail to the airport until 2015.[32][34]

On January 15, 2003, Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle signed an agreement in principle to develop a plan for light rail expansion to the airport. The agreement envisioned a light rail station along International Boulevard near South 175th Street connected to the airport's terminal via the existing parking garage, with enhanced pedestrian connections and connections to a future hotel at the north end of the garage.[35][36] The two agencies also agreed to work together on planning and engineering for the project, which would be built in conjunction with a realignment of the Airport Expressway.[37] The plan was finalized in December 2004, with an agreement to accelerate planning and construction in time for a December 2009 opening, in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics held in nearby Vancouver, British Columbia.[38][39]

The $244 million light rail extension, named "Airport Link" was approved by the Sound Transit Board on July 14, 2005, along with a motion adopting "SeaTac/Airport" as the name of the project's lone station.

memorandum of agreement with Sound Transit on April 11, 2006, approving the use of Port property for the project.[46][47]

On September 22, 2006, Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle broke ground on the Airport Link extension, beginning three years of light rail and roadway construction.[48][49] The airport's return-to-terminal ramps were closed for demolition in October, clearing the site of the future station.[50] Construction of the SeaTac/Airport light rail station was bid out to Mowat Construction for $35.8 million in July 2007; the initial bid in March was set above Sound Transit's estimates at $95.3 million by Mowat, the sole bidder, and subsequently reduced the scope of the contract and removed elements of the station to bring costs down.[51][52] A second contract signed with Mowat in February 2008 brought the total cost of the station's construction to $72 million.[53] The 1.7-mile-long (2.7 km) light rail guideway approaching the station would be built by PCL Construction as $38 million addition to their contract to build the guideway in Tukwila.[54]

A Link train at the platform in 2015

Link light rail service from Downtown Seattle to

ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by 500 people, including U.S. Representative Jim McDermott of Seattle, Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels and Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton.[57][58] Initial ridership counts in January 2010 showed that the station increased light rail ridership by 2,000 passengers during its first month of service, coinciding with the holiday travel system.[59] SeaTac/Airport station would serve as the southern terminus of the Link light rail system until the opening of Angle Lake station on September 24, 2016.[60]

On January 28, 2017, amid

protests at Sea-Tac Airport against the signing of an executive order from President Donald Trump, the station was shut down by Sound Transit at the request of Port of Seattle security.[61] The 30-minute shutdown was criticized by the media and King County Executive Dow Constantine as an attempt to hamper protesters' freedom of speech and right to free assembly.[62] Service was resumed at the direction of Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff, and the following week Sound Transit and King County Metro formalized a new protocol requiring future requests from law enforcement to suspend service be approved by the CEO or general manager.[63]

Station layout

Platform
level
Northbound 1 Line toward Northgate (Tukwila International Boulevard)
Island platform, doors will open on the left
Southbound 1 Line toward Angle Lake (Terminus)
Mezzanine Ticket vending machines, flight information display, restrooms, pedestrian bridges to exits/entrances
Street Bus stops,
kiss and ride
lot, public art
View of the station from the adjacent parking garage, showing the pedestrian bridge leading towards the airport's main terminal

SeaTac/Airport station consists of a single

kiss and ride and a bus station.[64][69] The station also has space for 24 bicycles in a secured locker.[70]

Some elements of the station, including the size of internal support structures, the amount of glass panels, and the width of the roof, were eliminated or reduced to save $20 million in construction costs.

windscreens and adding a cart shuttle service.[73] As of 2019, the cart shuttles carry up to 1,200 people per day.[68] The Port of Seattle's long-term master plan for the airport includes a new ground transportation center to replace part of the parking garage and include an indoor connection.[72]

Art

SeaTac/Airport station also houses three

art installations as part of the "STart" program, which allocates a percentage of project construction funds to art projects to be used in stations.[74]

Werner Klotz's Flying Sails, a pair of abstract sails made of stainless steel, sits suspended above the escalators connecting the mezzanine to the platform. The 35-foot-tall (11 m) sails consist of wind-activated panels etched with the names of Northwest Native American tribes on the northern sails and cities around the globe at the same latitude or longitude as Seattle on the southern sails. Hanging above the east pedestrian bridge to International Boulevard is a 160-foot-long (49 m) steel truss. The piece, named Restless by Christian Moeller, has twelve rotating bird control spikes, inspired by the emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in 2009. Fernanda D'Agostino's Celestrial Navigation, a 18-foot-tall (5.5 m) glass and metal sculpture of a navigational quadrant, sits in the International Boulevard plaza. The piece sits on a pedestal of rustic terrazzo and features a looping, hour-long video projected to the quadrant.[75][76]

The pictogram assigned to the station depicts a magic carpet, representing the "magic, mystery and delight of flight" while also referencing the city of SeaTac's adopted slogan, the "Hospitality City".[77] It was created by Christian French as part of the Stellar Connections series and its points represent nearby destinations, including the airport, civic buildings, Tyee High School, Angle Lake and Bow Lake Park.[78][79]

Services

SeaTac/Airport station is part of the 1 Line, which runs from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport to the Rainier Valley, Downtown Seattle, the University of Washington campus, and Northgate. It is the first northbound station from Angle Lake and seventeenth southbound station from Northgate, situated south of Tukwila International Boulevard station. 1 Line trains serve the station twenty hours a day on weekdays and Saturdays, from 5:00 am to 1:00 am, and eighteen hours on Sundays, from 6:00 am to 12:00 am; during regular weekday service, trains operate roughly every eight to ten minutes during rush hour and midday operation, respectively, with longer headways of fifteen minutes in the early morning and twenty minutes at night. During weekends, 1 Line trains arrive at SeaTac/Airport station every ten minutes during midday hours and every fifteen minutes during mornings and evenings. The station is approximately four minutes from Angle Lake station and 36 minutes from Westlake station in Downtown Seattle.[80] In 2019, an average of 5,796 passengers boarded Link trains at SeaTac/Airport station on weekdays.[1]

SeaTac/Airport station is also served by five bus routes using a pair of bus stops on International Boulevard to the east of the station.

West Seattle, Burien, Renton and Bellevue; and route 574, which travels south to Tacoma and Lakewood in Pierce County.[82][83]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Link Ridership". Sound Transit. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "SeaTac/Airport Station". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  3. ^ Growing Transit Communities Oversight Committee (October 2013). "SeaTac Airport: Light Rail/Bus Rapid Transit/Bus" (PDF). The Growing Transit Communities Strategy. Puget Sound Regional Council. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  4. ^ "SeaTac" (PDF). 2013 Regional Centers Monitoring Report. Puget Sound Regional Council. February 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  5. ^ Porter, Lynn (January 13, 2015). "SeaTac wants to use TODs to create a sense of community". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  6. ^ SeaTac/Airport Station Area Action Plan (Report). City of SeaTac. December 2006. pp. 23–24. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  7. The Highline Times. Archived
    from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  8. ^ Mathison, Eric (June 24, 2010). "SeaTac retreats from entertainment district plan". The Highline Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  9. ^ Crowley, Walt (April 2, 1999). "Sea-Tac International Airport: Part 1 — Founding". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  10. ^ Moody, Dick (June 2, 1976). "Airport transit: no rapid solution". The Seattle Times. p. A13.
  11. ^ Woodward, Walt (July 5, 1966). "Single Agency Needed to Coordinate Transportation". The Seattle Times. p. 7.
  12. ^ Miletich, Matt (February 24, 1963). "Seattle's Dreams of a Monorail System Reach Far Back in the City's History; Rapid-Transit Lines Might Serve Airport And Boeing Commuters". The Seattle Times. pp. 12–13.
  13. ^ Lindblom, Mike (July 30, 2002). "Another '60s revival: running a monorail along Interstate 5". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  14. ^ "'Balance' Is Key To Rapid-Transit Plan". The Seattle Times. October 6, 1967. p. 4.
  15. ^ "Forward Thrust Forum: New Stadium to Benefit County By Rents, Leases". The Seattle Times. January 25, 1968. p. 53.
  16. ^ Gilje, Shelby (January 3, 1993). "Sorting out those confusing airport cab fares". The Seattle Times. p. G9.
  17. Puget Sound Council of Governments. 1986. p. 2-2. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on November 7, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  18. ^ "Light-rail transit system among proposals studied for Seattle". The Seattle Times. January 5, 1986. p. B1.
  19. ^ "The Regional Transit System Proposal" (PDF). Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority. February 1995. pp. 3–4. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  20. ^ a b Schaefer, David (January 11, 1996). "RTA ready to unveil new plan: rapid transit proposal's cost, scope downsized". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  21. ^ Schaefer, David (November 6, 1996). "Voters back transit plan on fourth try". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  22. ^ "Sound Move: Launching a Rapid Transit System for the Puget Sound Region" (PDF). Sound Transit. May 31, 1996. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  23. ^ Schaefer, David (May 4, 1998). "It's time to pick routes for new light-rail system; hearings set on options". The Seattle Times. p. A1.
  24. ^ Schaefer, David (May 15, 1998). "Sound Transit riders will catch a wave". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  25. ^ "Sound Transit Board achieves historic milestone by selecting route for central Link light rail" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. November 18, 1999. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  26. ^ Schaefer, David (February 26, 1999). "Rail route creates hard feelings: northern cities, Rainier Valley, Tukwila feel slighted". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  27. ^ "Sound Transit Resolution No. R99-34" (PDF). Sound Transit. November 18, 1999. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  28. ^ Kelleher, Susan (September 13, 2001). "Sound Transit says it can build 14-mile line; light rail stops short of airport". The Seattle Times. p. B4. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  29. ^ Pryne, Eric (November 30, 2001). "Sound Transit adopts 14-mile route; light-rail construction could start in summer". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  30. ^ "Sound Transit Motion No. M-2001-126" (PDF). Sound Transit. November 29, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  31. ^ Stiles, Marc (July 8, 1998). "Runway isn't the only project: terminal, garage will change face of Sea-Tac, too". The Seattle Times. p. B3.
  32. ^ a b Gilmore, Susan (September 1, 2002). "Light rail's south end falls short — even for neighbors". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  33. ^ Tu, Janet I. (October 11, 2001). "Several Sea-Tac projects on hold – Going ahead: runway, terminal expansions". The Seattle Times. p. B2.
  34. ^ "Chapter 2: Description of Airport Link" (PDF). Airport Link Environmental Assessment (Report). Sound Transit. May 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  35. ^ "Sound Transit and Port of Seattle announce agreement for light rail airport connection" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. January 15, 2003. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  36. ^ Lindblom, Mike (January 16, 2003). "Now they're getting 'somewhere': Sound Transit, Port of Seattle reach agreement on light-rail station at airport". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  37. ^ "Agreement in Principle between Sound Transit and Port of Seattle" (PDF). Sound Transit. January 15, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2003. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  38. ^ "Light rail goes to airport: ST, Port of Seattle, City of SeaTac announce major agreement" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. December 21, 2004. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  39. ^ Pryne, Eric (December 22, 2004). "Light rail may reach Sea-Tac; extension planned". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  40. ^ "Sound Transit Board adopts plan for airport light rail extension" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. July 15, 2005. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  41. ^ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2005-101" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 14, 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  42. ^ Pryne, Eric (July 14, 2005). "Transit board likely to OK light-rail link to Sea-Tac". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  43. ^ Scott, Alwyn (July 27, 2005). "Airport may not get light rail". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  44. ^ Pian Chan, Sharon (October 12, 2005). "Sims rejects Boeing Field plans". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  45. ^ Langston, Jennifer; Holt, Gordy (October 11, 2005). "Plan won't fly: Sims kills Southwest's Boeing Field hopes". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  46. ^ "Light rail to the airport a reality" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. April 13, 2006. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  47. ^ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2006-18" (PDF). Sound Transit. April 13, 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  48. ^ "Sound Transit and Port of Seattle break ground on Airport Link light rail and airport roadway improvements" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. September 22, 2006. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  49. ^ Lindblom, Mike (September 23, 2006). "Construction under way for airport rail link". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  50. ^ Brown, Charles E. (October 9, 2006). "Here & Now: Another viaduct closure". The Seattle Times. p. B2. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  51. ^ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2007-79" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 26, 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  52. ^ Lindblom, Mike (March 8, 2007). "It's back to drawing board: Sea-Tac rail stop gets 1 bid". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  53. ^ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2008-27" (PDF). Sound Transit. February 28, 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  54. ^ "Sound Transit Motion No. M2006-52" (PDF). Sound Transit. June 22, 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  55. ^ "Link light rail launches new era of mobility for central Puget Sound" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. July 18, 2009. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  56. ^ "Link Light Rail (Central Link) Airport Connector Service". Sound Transit. July 20, 2009. Archived from the original on December 16, 2009. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  57. ^ Lindblom, Mike (December 19, 2009). "Sound Transit opens new light-rail link with Sea-Tac Airport". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  58. ^ "Sound Transit opens Link light rail service to SeaTac" (Press release). Seattle, Washington: Sound Transit. December 19, 2009. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  59. ^ Lindblom, Mike (January 12, 2010). "Sea-Tac station boosts light-rail use". The Seattle Times. p. B9. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  60. ^ Demay, Daniel (September 21, 2016). "Angle Lake light rail extension to start Saturday". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  61. ^ Lindblom, Mike (January 30, 2017). "Light-rail trains loaded with protesters skipped Sea-Tac briefly on Saturday — but why?". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  62. ^ Mudede, Charles (January 28, 2017). "Sound Transit Must Give Answers For Not Stopping At SeaTac During Muslim Ban Protest". The Stranger. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  63. ^ "Sound Transit and King County Metro strengthening procedures on service disruptions associated with protest activity" (Press release). Sound Transit. January 30, 2017. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  64. ^ a b c Lindblom, Mike (December 16, 2009). "Airport rail station opens Saturday". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  65. ^ "Airport Station". Hewitt Architects. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  66. ^ Hewitt, David M. (July 16, 2009). "Two stations bound by proximity play dramatically different roles". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  67. ^ "Flight info for light-rail riders". The Seattle Times. February 4, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  68. ^ a b "Sea-Tac officials explain why walk from light rail station to airport is so long". KIRO 7 News. April 29, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  69. ^ "Sound Transit Link Light Rail". Port of Seattle. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  70. ^ "Bike parking at transit facilities". King County Metro. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  71. ^ "Sound Transit saves and pays extra $20 million". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. February 28, 2008. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  72. ^ a b Baume, Matt (May 27, 2022). "Sea-Tac Airport Wants a New Building to Replace that Awful Walk from the Train Station". The Stranger. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  73. ^ Lindblom, Mike (November 21, 2016). "Quarter-mile walk from light rail to Sea-Tac could get a little cozier". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  74. ^ "STart Public Art Program". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  75. ^ "Guide to art on Link light rail" (PDF). Sound Transit. April 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  76. ^ "SeaTac/Airport Station – Public Art". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  77. ^ "The Insider: SeaTac slogan fails to get off ground". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. May 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  78. ^ "Stellar Connections". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  79. ^ "Stellar Connections: The story of the pictograms at Link light rail stations" (PDF). Sound Transit. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 8, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  80. ^ "Link 1 Line (Northgate — Angle Lake) schedule" (PDF). Sound Transit. October 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  81. ^ Metro Transit System: Southwest Area (PDF) (Map). King County Metro. September 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  82. ^ "Transit to/from the Airport". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  83. ^ "Public Transit". Port of Seattle. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.

External links