Riders in east King County, Wash., can now take Link light rail between downtown Redmond and South Bellevue. Sound Transit on May 10 opened the 3.4-mile extension of its 2 Line, including stations at Marymoor Village and downtown Redmond, which is the permanent 2 Line terminus on the Eastside (see map below).
Voters approved the Downtown Redmond Link Extension in 2016 as part of the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure. The two new stations in Redmond are the first to be completed as part of ST3.
The extension is the second segment of Link 2 Line service. The initial segment between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology Station launched April 27, 2024. Sound Transit expects the full 2 Line to open this year with the completion of the 1-90 segment of East Link. The I-90 segment will add the Mercer Island and Judkins Park stations and connect to the 1 Line at the International District/Chinatown Station in downtown Seattle.
Stacy Witbeck/Kuney JV is the Design-Builder for the Downtown Redmond Link Extension. As part of the Design-Build team, Jacobs and Hatch led the design effort; Hensel Phelps delivered the garage and station structures; and Mass Electric and Modern Rail Systems executed the systems scope, including overhead catenary, traction power, signaling, and communications. The project remains on schedule and within the $1.5 billion budget, according to Sound Transit.
The new extension serves the following stations:
- Marymoor Village Station. Located along SR 520 just west of SR 202/Redmond Way, this surface level station is said to provide easy access to the range of activities located at Marymoor Park. The station includes a parking garage with 1,400 new spaces and a connection to King County Metro route 269.
- Downtown Redmond Station. This is the final stop on the 2 Line. The elevated station straddles 166th Avenue Northeast in downtown Redmond close to parks, housing and retail. It is said to provide easy access to the Sammamish Slough walking and biking trail, and connections to King County Metro route 250, RapidRide B Line, and DART routes 224 and 930.
The 2 Line will run every 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days per week between South Bellevue and Downtown Redmond stations. Riders will be able to connect with the regional transit network at the South Bellevue, Bellevue Downtown, Redmond Technology, Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond stations. Bike parking is available at all stations, and several 2 Line stations are accessible from the Eastrail corridor and the regional trail network.
The Downtown Redmond Extension is Sound Transit’s fourth launch in the past year-and-a-half and the first ST3 project to open. Last August, the Lynnwood Link extension opened, extending the 1 Line by four stations and bringing light rail to Snohomish County for the first time. The 2 Line opened between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology Station the previous April; and the T Line opened service to Hilltop in September 2023. Two additional launches are planned within the next year, with the completion of the 2 Line and the start of 1 Line service to Federal Way, according to Sound Transit.
“With the opening of Downtown Redmond Link, Sound Transit now operates 46 miles of light rail across all three counties we serve,” Snohomish County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dave Somers said. “This system creates more connections and economic opportunities for people who live, work in, and visit our region.”
“Today [May 10] we are opening the first two light rail stations approved by voters as part of ST3,” Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine said. “This is an affirmation of the shared vision of a more connected, more sustainable region, and the product of the dedicated support of the community, our partners, contractors, and staff.”
“This new rail line reflects a commitment to protecting the earth, providing a cleaner alternative to single-occupancy vehicles, reducing congestion, and lowering our collective carbon footprint,” Tulalip Tribal Chairwoman Teri Gobin said.
“The Building Trades want to thank Sound Transit and its leaders and staff for creating economic opportunity for generations of working people,” said Eddie Jezek, Vice President of the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council, and Business Agent/Political Director of Ironworkers Local 86. “The investments on the Eastside have created thousands of family-wage jobs for skilled craftspeople and pathways out of poverty for women, people of color, veterans and others who are disadvantaged, into construction careers. Through apprenticeships and strong training programs, we are working together to help build the next generation of construction workers, many from local communities here on the Eastside. Getting to this significant step on this huge regional system took vision, persistence, and bold leadership—and it will build better lives. Let’s keep building!”
“When the Sound Transit ballot measure passed in 1996, individual voter decisions collectively launched a bold regional vision for faster and cleaner commutes,” commented Mary Snapp, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Microsoft. “Today, [May 6] every time a rider taps an ORCA card, that vision is reality—reducing cars on our roadways, cutting emissions in our air, and providing commuters, including those of us at Microsoft, with more sustainable and efficient transportation options.”
Separately, Sound Transit has piloted the “wig wag train” to boost light rail safety.
