Lynnwood light rail opening date announced

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - A date is in place for the grand opening of the Lynnwood Link Extension, a Sound Transit project bringing light rail service to Snohomish County.

Four new stations are planned to open on Friday, August 30, 2024, connecting Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Shoreline via light rail to downtown Seattle, the Eastside, Sea-Tac Airport, the University of Washington and more.

Sound Transit made the announcement on Thursday, though it was supposed to be revealed on Wednesday by a group of transportation officials.

Two of the new stations are in Shoreline, with one located just northeast of I-5 at the NE 145th Street exit, and the other east of I-5 near NE 185th Street. Another is in Mountlake Terrace just west of Veterans Memorial Park, and the fourth and furthest station is in Lynnwood, located at the Lynnwood Transit Center.

The extension spans 8.5 miles, with 47,000 – 55,000 daily riders expected by 2026.

(via Sound Transit)

As for projected travel times, Shoreline South to UW should take about 11 minutes, Lynnwood to downtown Seattle is around 28 minutes, and Mountlake Terrace to SeaTac is 56 minutes.

This announcement comes as 2 Line, another light rail extension between Bellevue and Redmond, opens on April 27. Sound Transit hopes to open an extended 2 Line in 2025 that will connect service across Lake Washington.

The plan is to have four-car trains run every eight minutes in an effort increase capacity and reduce crowding.

The opening of the Lynnwood Link also means Sound Transit will start charging a new flat fare of $3 per trip. Fares were originally based on distance, varying between $2.25 and $3.50. This means riders no longer have to "tap off" with ORCA cards when exiting the train.

More information on the Lynnwood Link can be found on Sound Transit's website.