🚉 Sound Transit extends train service to Redmond

@transportation

May 10

Last weekend, Seattle’s East-side light rail line (the 2 Line) expanded to two additional stations in Redmond

The City of Redmond has been reinventing itself and aims to go from suburb to city by 2050. It’s already well on its way with a ton of new housing built downtown in advance of this opening.

I am particularly excited about the potential of this opening because I believe many living in downtown Redmond are likely to take the train to Microsoft or Downtown Bellevue for work, and I think the new Marymoor Park Station will be very popular for anyone attending concerts or circus shows there. And did you know they have a Velodrome!?

Read on for more details about light rail and the East side…

Seattle’s 1 Line began service between Downtown Seattle and SEA Airport 16 years ago in 2009 and has expanded North several times since then, now reaching North of Seattle to Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline and Lynwood, eventually extending to Everett. The line will expand South to Federal Way later this year, and eventually all the way to Tacoma (all of these extensions are already voter-approved). This line already has the highest ridership per mile of any light rail system in the US.

The separate 2 Line opened last year, starting at South Bellevue (I-90 & Bellevue Way) and extending North with stops at Old Main Street, Downtown Bellevue (three blocks from the mall because Kemper Freeman wants you to drive), Wilburton (near Overlake Hospital & Whole Foods), Spring District (a brand new neighborhood with Meta offices, Bellevue Brewing & new housing), Bel-Red Road, Overlake Village and ending at Redmond Technology (Microsoft). Microsoft is completely redeveloping its campus to orient around this new access point.