Just like that, Seattle’s light rail became a region-encompassing, 58-mile system Saturday, with the not-so-simple crossing atop a floating bridge.
Under blue and brisk skies, thousands arrived early to inspect for themselves the decadeslong project-turned-reality, hailing the engineering feat and celebrating the opening of the easiest yet connection between Seattle and the Eastside.
At 10:27 a.m., after politicians' speeches ran on, passenger service across Lake Washington began rolling out of Judkins Park Station. Security struggled to corral enormous crowds that were kept waiting, as the trains had been expected to head out closer to 10 a.m.
As the first train with passengers descended to the lake's surface, even the most august elected was awed, as wows rang through the train car and phones were out, capturing photos and videos. A few people waved from the I-90 bike path, and a fireboat sprayed jets into the sky. In minutes, it was over.
“Congratulations, you’re the first to ride a train westbound across the lake,” a light rail operator announced over a shaky public-address mic at South Bellevue Station, after crowds crammed into a three-car train.
With the grand opening of the two new stations — Judkins Park in Seattle’s Central District, and on Mercer Island — Sound Transit joins its two separate lines, the north-south spine of the 1 Line and the Eastside stub of the 2 Line.
Whether for fun or work, to get to Marymoor Park or Microsoft, to access the Eastrail or Sammamish River Trail, to try a new restaurant in Bellevue, walk the mall in Redmond or take a jaunt on Mercer Island, light rail doesn't just open up the Eastside to new visitors. It also brings a new way west for Eastside residents, to the airport, a Mariners game or the University of Washington.
All of that, for a $3 fare.
Anthony Wilson waited in the line at Judkins Park Station to ride the first train. He's lived in the Central District his whole life and currently lives in the apartments in the old Colman School, now also home to the Northwest African American Museum.
He said he never imagined a train coming to the neighborhood, not since he was a kid going to Madrona Elementary. But the day has come, and he expects it will replace his bus trips to Federal Way.
I'm excited for the train. I'm excited for the community. I'm excited," said Wilson, decked out in SuperSonics gear, from green and yellow sneakers to a matching bucket hat.
'Every eight minutes'
The growth of Seattle’s light rail is nearly without peer in the U.S., with only Los Angeles building a comparable system.
The east-west link, largely along Interstate 90, has been a long time coming. Visions of a regional system were described long before voters 30 years ago approved of starting a light rail system. It’s been nearly 17 years since the initial stretch of light rail connected downtown Seattle’s Westlake Station to points south. Approval for the vast majority of the $3.9 billion Eastside line came in 2008, when voters OK'd the connection between downtown Seattle and Microsoft.
At the opening ceremonies at Judkins Park Station, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray — whom Metropolitan King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci introduced as the "godmother of light rail" — said the day answered a question that's been going around for years. "When is light rail coming to Bellevue?" she said. "We now have the answer: about every eight minutes."
Trains will cross the lake into Seattle from 4:17 a.m. until 12:15 a.m., and toward Bellevue from 5:44 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. During peak commute times, trains should, as Murray said, arrive every eight minutes. Even late at night, the next train won’t be long, with just 15 minutes between arrivals.
Friends and information-technology workers, Aditya Bhansali and Apurva Koti, said they flew from London and San Francisco, respectively, to witness the big event in their hometown of Bellevue. Growing up, the two heard about all the plans and arguments leading to the 2 Line over Lake Washington.
“I was living in Bellevue for a year in 2023, when it was supposed to open, then I moved away — so this was a good excuse to come over,” said Bhansali, 26, wearing a hat with a light blue “2” circle. “I’m excited to see the trains on the water.”
Tucked between the Central District and Rainier Valley, Judkins Park opens onto Jimi Hendrix Park on 23rd Avenue, a green contrast to the station’s other entrance on Rainier Avenue South, with its heavy traffic and unwelcoming environment for walkers and cyclists. Since Seattle's newest station has no parking, but connects to numerous bus lines and trails, it should be well used by people without a car.
On Mercer Island, parks are also within walking distance, just not as close as the typically full park-and-ride garage. Though the island fought light rail for years, the station has an enviable position no other has: a 10-minute ride to either downtown Seattle or downtown Bellevue.
Rose Dominguez came up the escalator at Mercer Island Station, from Judkins, with her dog, Scrappy, in her arms and family in tow.
She lives in West Seattle and works in Bellevue, a journey that usually entails taking the RapidRide C Line to the Sound Transit Route 550 bus. Now, she plans to take the train, at least every now and again.
"I've lived here since I was 1," Dominguez said. "Just seeing light rail get built and grow is amazing."
Sound Transit will operate three-car trains, which can carry 450 to 600 passengers, during peak hours in the initial months of cross-lake service, said Ed Cobean, deputy CEO for operations. Two-car trains will run at other times of day.
That’s shorter than the full four-car trains often seen on the busier 1 Line through Seattle. Sound Transit will adapt when more railcars are needed, such as for big events, he said.
Suryo Sukendro and his 14-year-old son Finn arrived at Judkins Park at 6:30 a.m. to catch the first train.
"My son dragged me to it," Sukendro said, smiling. "We've been going to all the openings."
Though they live in Shoreline, Sukendro said they'll be on the 2 Line frequently "to get to Bellevue for some good food." On Saturday, they were headed to CHICHA San Chen, a boba place.
"We used to drive just for this boba," he said. "Now we can take the train."
At 1:30 p.m., three hours after the first train departed, a line still stretched away from the upper entrance at Judkins Park.
Past delays and a look ahead
Years past its original deadline, the connection across Lake Washington wasn't without its troubles, both in planning and construction. Woes aside, the engineering of the world's first-ever passenger train service on a floating bridge, capable of reaching 55 mph, is a marvel that has drawn attention far afield of Seattle’s borders.
The new stretch is loaded with extra electric substations and detour switches, lowering the risk that a minor glitch would trigger systemwide disruptions.
To be sure, the system doesn’t exactly run without incident — and it’s not as easy as blaming copper wire theft. "Power issues, a generic Sound Transit category, have caused shutdowns both short and long, including this month when most of the 2 Line was down all day, and replaced by shuttle buses.
After Saturday and a new Seattle station opening later this year — Pinehurst, one stop north of Northgate — the next major expansion of light rail is years away, even if Sound Transit can stick to its schedule. West Seattle could be next, with an official target date of 2032, followed by connections to Tacoma, Everett, Ballard, Issaquah and Kirkland.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell on Saturday called Puget Sound an “economic engine for the country,” and said light rail would help charge that engine. But she described dark clouds on the horizon.
“Let’s continue to fight for transit,” Cantwell said. “We’ll have another big bill before the Congress this year and our colleagues are already trying to X out transit. Today, they need to look at Seattle and look at this project and say, this is making a very big economy work for the nation.”
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