On July 18, 2009, Seattle’s Sound Transit Link carried its first passengers between downtown and Tukwila. Ever since then, more stations have been added around the Seattle area, further expanding the light rail system. After four years of construction, Seattle’s new extended light rail stations in North Seattle have finally been completed. The project was first started back in 2012.

The new, elevated Northgate station and is located right next to the recently built Kraken Community Iceplex. This station has a bridge that enables commuters to cross over the I-5 on foot or via bicycles. The Roosevelt and U-District stations are both underground. All three stations form a 4.3-mile-long transit route.

The train is set to run every 8 minutes, each car of the light rail features 74 seats and is capable of fitting 194 passengers. Depending on which station riders start their journey from, the fare to ride on the link light rail system ranges from $2.25-$3.50. 

According to a poll taken from the @seapreppanthers Instagram, 79% responded that they had not taken the light rail through the three new stations, and only 21% responded that they had. Of that 21%, 7% of the respondents say that they use the light rail to commute to or from Prep.  

Mr. McCarthy, English, Theology, Collegio, and Social Studies teacher, who lives in Roosevelt, took advantage of the new Roosevelt Station extension. “It was clean, fast, [and] very efficient,” he said, as it took away the hassle of using a car and finding parking.  McCarthy uses the light rail about once a month to go downtown or to the airport. “If they made a stop at the end of Capitol Hill, I would take it to Prep.” 

According to Peter Rogoff, Sound Transit CEO, it is projected that by 2024, the light rail system will be further extended to reach all the way up to Lynnwood, and all the way down To Federal Way.