Light rail service from Bellevue to Redmond officially opens
BELLEVUE, Wash. - Light rail service is coming to the Eastside, connecting Bellevue and Redmond starting Saturday.
Link 2 Line service will run through eight new stations across 6.5 miles of the Eastside, with plans to expand into Snohomish County in the fall. Beginning Saturday, the light rail will travel between the South Bellevue Station and the Redmond Technology Station.
Sound Transit says two-car trains will run every 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m., seven days a week.
"With the opening of the 2 Line on the Eastside this spring, and our major expansion into Snohomish County this fall, we’re bringing the convenience of light rail to hundreds of thousands more people across the region. That means more people will be able to use Link light rail to skip the traffic and parking hassles and get to school, work, games, concerts and more, inexpensively and on time, every time," said King County Executive Dow Constantine.
When will Light Rail 2 Line open?
The 2 Line is scheduled to fully open in 2025, but officials say the I-90 segment of East Link was delayed due to quality issues. When those issues are resolved, the I-90 stretch will connect Mercer Island and Judkins Park stations to the 2 Line, then connect to the 1 Line in Seattle's Chinatown-International District and downtown.
"We are thrilled to celebrate the 2 Line opening at Bellevue Downtown Station," said Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson. "Bellevue’s partnership with Sound Transit has been guided by a shared vision to improve mobility and access for everyone who lives, works and plays in Bellevue and the region. This opening brings us even closer to a future with a multitude of effective transportation options to get where you need to go on the Eastside and beyond."
With the Bellevue route opening, the Bellevue Police Department (BPD) is preparing to officially roll out its new police unit – The Bellevue Light Rail Unit (BLU) – a dedicated unit "designed to foster a safe and positive riding experience for individuals and families wishing to use the new Link Light Rail Service through Bellevue."
Each of Bellevue’s six Link stops is within the patrol duties of the BLU team.
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