Sound Transit 2 Line's Crosslake Connection Opens, Linking Seattle and Eastside

The Sound Transit 2 Line's Crosslake Connection has officially opened, establishing a light rail link between Seattle and the Eastside across Lake Washington. This expansion seamlessly integrates the 2 Line, which previously operated within Bellevue and Redmond, into a unified regional network. The connection extends service to additional stations and connects the 2 Line with the 1 Line, marking a significant development in the region's public transportation infrastructure. The project overcame historical engineering challenges and legal opposition to reach completion.

Project Overview and Opening Details

The Crosslake Connection began operation on March 28, directly linking the Eastside to Seattle's light rail system. This segment represents the final major component of the 2 Line, expanding Sound Transit's light rail network from 55 to 63 miles. The extension introduces two new stations: Judkins Park in Seattle and Mercer Island. Following the launch, celebratory events were held at various stations, including South Bellevue, Mercer Island, Judkins Park, and Chinatown International District.

Service and Connectivity

The 2 Line now connects with the 1 Line at the Chinatown-International District (CID) station, enabling 2 Line trains to extend directly to Lynnwood without transfers. This integration provides Eastside riders with direct access to key destinations such as Westlake and the University of Washington, while simultaneously increasing train frequency to northern stations towards Lynnwood.

Service on both the 1 Line and 2 Line generally operates from approximately 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. During peak hours, trains are scheduled to arrive at the new stations every eight minutes. Off-peak service ranges from every 10 to 15 minutes. The combined service between Lynnwood and the CID station ensures trains arrive approximately every four minutes. The new service aims to reduce commute times for passengers traveling between Downtown Redmond and areas including Shoreline, Roosevelt, Capitol Hill, and Pioneer Square.

Engineering Milestones and Project History

The Crosslake Connection features the world's first light rail system designed to operate on a floating bridge, specifically the Homer M. Hadley bridge, part of Interstate 90. The initial concept for implementing light rail on this bridge emerged in the 1980s during the bridge's original design phase, envisioning the conversion of its high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes for high-capacity transit use.

In 2001, Sound Transit initiated collaboration with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to assess the feasibility of this ambitious plan. Stress tests conducted by Sound Transit in 2005, utilizing fully loaded trucks across the HOV lanes, successfully confirmed the project's viability. In 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire publicly reaffirmed the state's commitment to the project. Voters in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties approved the Sound Transit 2 (ST2) plan in 2008, which allocated funding for the 2 Line and its critical route across the Homer M. Hadley Bridge.

Challenges and Opposition

The project encountered significant hurdles, including legal and political opposition, leading to delays exceeding five years beyond its original schedule and incurring tens of millions of dollars in cost overruns. These overruns have contributed to ongoing discussions about future expansion funding for Sound Transit.

Opposition included a lawsuit filed in 2009 by Kemper Freeman, a property owner in Bellevue, challenging the conversion of I-90 HOV lanes for transit use.

Freeman alleged that the conversion was impermissible due to gas tax funding. This lawsuit ultimately reached the state Supreme Court, which ruled against Freeman. He subsequently focused his efforts on influencing the 2 Line's alignment through Bellevue.

Further legal challenges arose in 2017 when the City of Mercer Island sued Sound Transit over the loss of residents' direct access to I-90 express lanes. This dispute was resolved within the same year through a settlement that included Sound Transit investing nearly $10 million in roadway improvements and parking for Mercer Island. A subsequent lawsuit filed by Mercer Island in 2020 was also resolved within two years.

Advocacy and Future Outlook

King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, a former Bellevue Councilmember, was a consistent advocate for the 2 Line throughout its development. She proposed an Eastside-only "starter line" for the 2 Line, which opened two years ahead of the full Crosslake Connection and reportedly exceeded ridership projections. WSDOT Secretary Julie Meredith described the project as the culmination of decades of regional efforts toward a more multimodal transportation system.

The opening of the Crosslake Connection completes a major system expansion initially approved by voters in 2008. Sound Transit has initiated six light rail expansions within the last five years, with the Pinehurst Station scheduled to open later in the year.