Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link extension begins service

Sound Transit’s Link 1 Line extension to Lynnwood, Wash., has begun passenger service. The 8.5-mile extension of the 1 Line includes four stations, one at Lynnwood City Center, one at Mountlake Terrace, and two in Shoreline, as well as three new parking structures.

The opening of the Link 1 Line extension is the third opening in the past year for Sound Transit. In September 2023, the T Line opened service to Hilltop and in April 2024, the 2 Line opened between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology Stations. The Lynnwood opening is the start of even more transformative expansions for the area, with the 2 Line expanded to downtown Redmond early next year, followed by the opening of the rest of the 2 Line later in 2025 and the start of service to Federal Way in 2026. 

Voters approved the Lynnwood extension in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure. The project broke ground almost five years to the day before service began. 

“The opening of Lynnwood light-rail service is a major milestone for our region,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. “For the first time, our light-rail system connects two counties, bringing us closer to the vision of an integrated, high-capacity transit network for Central Puget Sound. This achievement is the result of community support, careful planning and construction and sheer persistence. Now, it’s time for Snohomish County to hop aboard reliable, traffic-free, carbon-free Link light rail.” 

“This is a historic day for Snohomish County,” said Sound Transit Board Vice Chair and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “The arrival of light rail marks the start of a transformative regional transit system that will change how we get around and that will provide widespread opportunities for our residents. It’s not just that we can get off of I-5, get out of our cars and enjoy a fast and reliable trip to our destination. Light rail is also helping our environment and ensuring that our economy remains strong for generations to come.”  

Stacy & Witbeck/Kiewit/Hoffman L200 JV and Skanska Constructors L300 JV executed the civil construction on the extension. Mass Electric completed the systems work, which included the overhead catenary, traction power, signaling, and communications. The $3.1 billion project budget included up to $1.2 billion from a Full Funding Grant Agreement executed by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau executed a $658 million low-interest loan supporting the project, including new light-rail vehicles and support facilities. 

“FTA is proud to help bring Link light rail to Snohomish County, expanding rapid transit access for hundreds of thousands of residents,” said Federal Transit Administration Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “As the Link system continues to grow, it’s now easier than ever to reach UW, downtown, Sea-Tac and destinations all over the region. Thank you to Sound Transit and all the community partners who delivered on this monumental project.”  

STV, in joint venture with Mott MacDonald, oversaw the systems construction for the Lynnwood Link Extension. The team, known as Northwest Transit Systems Partners, provided technical review, construction management, quality assurance and inspection services for the project’s traction power, communications, signaling and train control systems, contributing to the efficient operation of trains, as well as helping create a safe and reliable experience for commuters.  

“The Lynnwood Link opening marks yet another significant milestone in STV’s ongoing partnership with Sound Transit,” said Bryan Williams, P.E., vice president and Pacific Northwest area manager at STV. “We are proud to support multiple transformative projects that will enhance regional connectivity and benefit communities throughout the Seattle metropolitan area.” 

HNTB served as project manager on all engineering and architectural aspects of the project design and construction support. HNTB’s approach, including the use of cutting-edge 3-D modeling and delivering design packages early, allowed construction to begin prior to completion of the entire design, enhanced the team collaboration and significantly accelerated the construction timeline. 

“The Lynnwood Link Extension project stands as a testament to our ability to deliver complex infrastructure on time and on budget through effective collaboration and strong relationship management,” said Moein El-Aarag, project manager and group director with HNTB. “We successfully navigated and fostered partnerships across multiple agencies, including Washington State Department of Transportation and the cities of Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline and Seattle. Together, we have achieved a significant milestone in enhancing our region’s transit infrastructure.”

The Lynnwood extension will serve the following stations, all of them with multiple transit connections: 

• Shoreline South/148th Station: Located just northeast of I-5 at the Northeast 145th St. exit, the elevated Shoreline South/148th Station includes a parking garage with approximately 500 new spaces as part of the project.  
• Shoreline North/185th Station: Located on the east side of I-5, Shoreline North/185th Station serves Shoreline Stadium, the Shoreline Conference Center and the surrounding neighborhoods. Improved pedestrian pathways connect the station to the west side of I-5. A parking garage with approximately 500 new spaces is part of the project.  
• Mountlake Terrace Station: Located east of I-5 at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center, just north of 236th St. Southwest, west of Veterans Memorial Park, the elevated Mountlake Terrace Station straddles 236th St. Southwest and is a short walk from the Mountlake Terrace Library, new City Hall and the future Gateway transit-oriented development neighborhood. There are 890 existing parking spaces at the station.  
• Lynnwood City Center: Located at the Lynnwood Transit Center, the elevated station serves one of the busiest transit centers in the region, with extensive connections to local and regional service. A new garage containing 1,670 parking stalls in a five-story structure opened last year. 

A fifth station at NE 130th St. in Seattle was added to the alignment as part of the ST3 ballot measure approved by voters in 2016. The new station will serve a growing residential neighborhood between the Northgate and Shoreline South/148th stations. The NE 130th St. station is scheduled to open in 2026. 

“The opening of Lynnwood Link is a testament to the hard work of the construction teams and Sound Transit staff who have worked for years to make this project a reality,” said Sound Transit Interim CEO Goran Sparrman. “They persevered through the pandemic and a four-month concrete delivery strike to bring us to today’s celebration. Lynnwood Link’s opening also marks a transformative moment in Sound Transit’s history, as we enter Snohomish County. With the openings of the full 2 Line next year and the extension to Federal Way in 2026, we will have more than doubled the size of our system in just a few years, providing the residents of our region great options for easy, efficient travel to even more destinations.”