Crosslake Connection opens Saturday

This Saturday, March 28, the Crosslake Connection will open with Link light rail carrying passengers across Lake Washington for the first time. Crosslake trains will begin running at around 10 a.m. following a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The opening day celebration will start at 9 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting and street fair at Sam Smith Park, in partnership with the Northwest African American Museum. At 10 a.m., festivities begin at the new Mercer Island Station, in partnership with the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce, as well as at nine more stations throughout the expanded Link system, until 2 p.m. 

Get information about opening day activities at soundtransit.org/crosslake.

Explore the new parts of the 2 Line, from International District to South Bellevue, and play Discover. Stamp. Win! for a chance to win exciting prizes donated by event sponsors. Information about prizes and how to play is at soundtransit.org/crosslake/dsw. The first 1,000 people to turn in their completed ticket at the Welcome Tent at Sam Smith Park will receive a 1 and 2 Line reversible bucket hat provided by presenting sponsor Microsoft.

Microsoft also is donating 3,000 commemorative ORCA cards, loaded with the value of one light rail round-trip. The cards will be available at the Welcome Tent and from Sound Transit and Microsoft ambassadors while supplies last. 

People are encouraged to walk, roll and take transit to opening day celebrations. Shuttles from Mount Baker and South Bellevue stations to the ribbon cutting will run every 15 minutes from 7-10 a.m. Lime is offering free rides on opening day with the code CROSSLAKE26.

Bicycle parking is available at all stations. The new Judkins Park Station has racks for 36 bikes, a bike room for 32 bikes, and 4 individual BikeLink lockers available on demand. On opening day, the Cascade Bicycle Club will be providing a bike valet at Judkins Park. 

The new Mercer Island Station has bike racks with capacity for 50 bikes, a bike room with capacity for 20 bikes and 24 individual BikeLink lockers, available on demand. 

Service on both the 1 Line and 2 Line will run from about 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. seven days a week. Trains will run approximately every eight minutes at peak at the new stations, and between 10-15 minutes the rest of the day. Between Lynnwood City Center and International District/Chinatown stations, combined 1- and 2-Line headways will mean trains arrive every four to five minutes. 

Photos and video of the Crosslake Connection can be found here.