New Redmond Technology Station garage open for parking

Today, Sound Transit opened the new parking garage at the Redmond Technology Station to serve transit riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists as well as future Link light rail passengers. The new garage contains 300 parking stalls and covered facilities for 44 bicycles.

The parking garage is opening with the completion of construction and permitting requirements, making this multi-modal infrastructure available to the public before light rail service to the Redmond Technology Station begins in Spring 2024. King County Metro and Sound Transit buses along with Microsoft Connector shuttles started using the transit loop on the ground floor of the garage in August. The phased opening of transit investments aligned with the completion of construction and permitting allows Sound Transit and local transit providers and partners to better and more efficiently serve riders and local communities on our regional network.

"This garage provides a new hub for transit riders and community members. It’s a step toward a more connected Eastside and Puget Sound region, allowing more people to access transit," said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine.

"The Redmond Technology Station Parking Garage offers more mobility options for more people across our region," said King County Council Member and Sound Transit System Expansion Committee Chair Claudia Balducci. "This opening at Redmond Technology Station represents another exciting step forward as we build the future with light rail service that will connect people to the activities and opportunities in some of the most dynamic neighborhoods on the Eastside."

The new structure was built by Kiewit-Hoffman. Construction on the garage was recently completed through strong partnership and collaboration between Sound Transit, the contractor, and the city of Redmond. Local Artist Kate Sweeney created the artwork displayed on the garage ceiling above the transit loop, depicting an algorithm known as the Apollonian Gasket. This work is a nod to the technology community surrounding the station. The algorithm, named after the mathematician Apollonius of Perga, is a fractal generated from a collection of tangent circles contained within a single larger circle. The sculptures hang like clouds over the bus waiting areas, creating a lively and engaging space for passengers.

"The new garage signals the ongoing progress we’re making toward bringing light rail to Redmond and increased future connectivity for not only Redmond, but our entire region," said Redmond Mayor Angela Birney.

"With the opening of this facility, we are bringing more people together to get to more places by connecting drivers, riders, walkers, and cyclists into our regional transportation network," said Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm. "With each opening, Sound Transit increases access to the entire region through our interconnected infrastructure and services making neighborhoods and communities stronger, more prosperous, and more resilient."

The parking garage and light rail station will be accessible by a pedestrian bridge connecting to the Microsoft campus, scheduled to open in the first part of next year. Microsoft funded and constructed this bridge in partnership with Sound Transit to ensure easy, multi-modal access to the station.

"This represents the critical investment in transit infrastructure that we need to continue to create a livable community," said Microsoft Government Affairs Senior Director Colleen Kerr. "This step supports our sustainability goals in reducing congestion and air pollution and is part of our community commitment to the Puget Sound. We value our strong partnership with Sound Transit as we work together to realize the benefits of a regional transit system."

When it opens in 2024, the East Link Starter Line (a portion of the new 2 Line) will serve eight light rail stations covering 6.5 miles between South Bellevue Station and Redmond Technology Station. In 2025, the full 2 Line will reach from Downtown Redmond to downtown Seattle and will connect interline with the existing 1 Line as far north as Lynnwood.

Video of the station and ribbon cutting is at https://vimeo.com/soundtransit/rtsopening.

Learn more about the Redmond Technology Station at https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/redmond-technology-station.