On May 10, thousands of eager riders turned out to celebrate opening day of the new 2 Line extension to Downtown Redmond. It was a great moment for the city and the entire Eastside, and throughout the day, one question from transit fans arose more than any other: “Now when will it connect to Seattle?”
And we get it! Folks across the region are hungry for more Link light rail service ASAP, and for updates on the next projects on the horizon.
Here’s the latest.
When will it open?
As of this month, 10 of the 12 stations on the 2 Line are open for service. The remaining section, connecting across Lake Washington, includes two new stations in Mercer Island and Judkins Park.
And as we shared at the Sound Transit Board’s System Expansion Committee meeting in early May, this critical regional connection is now trending toward opening for service in early 2026.
That’s a delay from our previous target of December, based on our rate of progress over the last few months, the time needed to address some remaining construction issues, and the need to protect more time in our schedule for testing, training, and simulated service.
Welcoming passengers aboard by the end of 2025 was an ambitious target, and necessarily so, given this connection’s potential to transform our region. 2 Line service across the floating bridge will give thousands of passengers a direct, one-seat ride between the Eastside, Seattle and beyond, and will open up access to our Operations and Maintenance Facility East in Bellevue. That access is critical for increasing frequency on the 1 Line and supporting the next Link extension, to Federal Way later next year.
That’s a lot riding on one project. So above all, we’re committed to getting it right. Our priority is making sure every bit of new service we open meets the quality, frequency, and reliability standards you deserve from Day 1.
And the teams are pushing hard to finish the work. With longer daylight hours and better weather setting in, we’re currently finishing remaining construction and preparing to begin testing on the full alignment this week.
Finishing up construction, getting ready for testing
In our last construction update this past winter, we shared how we divided the remainder of the East Link project into three segments to simplify contractors’ work and maximize every schedule day.
As of this month, construction activities on the two segments leading to the floating bridge (from the existing International District Station in the west and from South Bellevue in the east) are 100% complete.
Construction on the middle segment, across the Homer M. Hadley floating bridge, is almost done, and we’re preparing to start train testing on the bridge over the coming months. This will be the real test for service as the teams demonstrate that the integrated system works as designed. Crews are currently finishing rail installation and testing supporting electrical systems in preparation for this key milestone.
This floating bridge segment represents one of the most challenging and unique aspects of this complex mega-project, which will be the first in the world to run light rail across a floating bridge.
Being first in the world means both unique opportunities and unique challenges, and several complex technical issues have arisen throughout project construction. Firsts take time, and we’re going to take the time needed to make sure each of the unique components and systems on the bridge function correctly.
One such issue is that, during final rail installation, where we anchor the tracks to the concrete support blocks below them, we’ve found that a small number of the bolt inserts within the blocks need replacement.
While not concerning based on what we know today, we want to get those connectors replaced now, before we start testing trains at the frequency planned for full 2 Line service.
We also want to be certain that bringing electrified light rail across the floating bridge won’t damage the existing bridge structure. That means making sure the systems that isolate and protect the bridge from the electricity are working as intended before we start the next phase of testing.
Since there are many new, complex systems on the bridge structure, we’re going to be realistic about the time it will take to complete the work. We know that additional, focused time during this critical phase of the project will have a positive effect on future performance.
Given what we’ve learned in recent months about how we can (and must) improve service reliability and systemwide resilience, we’re committed to stress-testing the system and validating a series of different operating scenarios before opening the line for service. On a unique segment such as the floating bridge, this also means additional layers of testing and commissioning compared to other projects.
Another unique element is that the floating bridge segment isn’t new; it’s been in service for many years, first as the I-90 express lanes, and now being converted for light rail trains. As many of you may know, WSDOT oversees the floating bridge, and they’ve been our project partners from the start. Our two agencies are coordinating closely to get the bridge ready for train traffic together — ensuring that the mix of old and new systems work together as intended, including tunnel ventilation fans, electric current isolation systems, and much more.
Above all, we’re going to take the time to get it right.
While our focus remains on opening as soon as possible, our top priority remains making sure all new service is at the standard you deserve - a safe, high-quality, frequent, and reliable ride.
Once testing begins this spring and on through the summer, we’ll have more information, and therefore more clarity, on a target date for welcoming you aboard.
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