Sound Transit delays opening of Link light-rail extensions

Sound Transit will delay the start of light-rail passenger service on several of its Link extension projects, CEO Julie Timm announced last week.

The Hilltop Tacoma Link extension was expected to open by the end of first-quarter 2023, but the transit agency ran into multiple quality issues as well as a concern over track geometry in one section, Timm said in a blog post.

"We’re bringing in track experts this week to provide an independent assessment of the issue and possible corrective actions for evaluation," Timm said. "This is an emerging concern, and we don’t have all the answers yet on how it will affect Hilltop’s opening timeline."

Timm did not set a new opening date for the Hilltop Tacoma Link extension.

Meanwhile, opening dates for the East, Lynnwood, Federal Way and Downtown Redmond Link extensions are also delayed with new opening timeframes, Timm said.

"We’ve seen delays caused by the pandemic and its ongoing effects on the labor market and global supply chain, a regional concrete delivery strike and design and construction quality issues on some projects,” she said.

Lynnwood Link Extension is now scheduled to open in summer or fall 2024, while the East and Downtown Redmond Link extensions are expected to open in spring 2025 — a nearly two-year delay. The agency is also considering opening early a section of the East Link line — between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations — as the East Link Starter Line" service.

The Federal Way Link Extension has no new opening timeframe yet while schedule discussions with the project contractor continue, Timm said. Sound Transit is developing a new long-span bridge design for that extension, which requires extra time due to unstable soil.