Sound Transit continues maintenance and system expansion work affecting the Link 1 Line this spring, with resulting impacts starting today. The agency will conduct a variety of projects, including work on the new Pinehurst infill station, track replacement, and tunnel systems installation.
Pinehurst construction impacts through May 29
The immediate service impacts started on Monday and will run through May 29, impacting most weekday evenings and weekends. Pinehurst work will be put on hold from Monday, April 14 through Sunday, April 27, but downtown tunnel work will cause truncated service from April 14 to April 23, with an infrequent shuttle train operating from Westlake to Stadium Station in this period. More on that later.
The service reduction is to allow the agency to construct stairwells at Pinehurst Station, set to open in 2026. Construction work on the stairwells will take place close to overhead catenary wire, requiring it to be powered down. That will force the agency to single-track trains through the area and reduce headways as a consequence.
Rather than the usual 10-minute frequencies, service will be reduced to every 12 minutes for northbound trips departing on or after 5:30pm from Angle Lake and southbound trips departing on or after 6:45pm from Lynnwood City Center.
In addition, single-tracking operations will affect where riders board and alight from trains at Shoreline South. During the first phase of construction, riders will board and alight all trains regardless of direction on the east side of the center platform (signed to Lynnwood City Center). Then in the second phase of construction beginning on Monday, April 28, riders will board and alight all trains regardless of direction on the west side of the center platform (signed to Angle Lake).
April 14 to 23 downtown tunnel work truncates service
Sound Transit has tabbed construction work in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) in between the Pinehurst phases of construction, from Monday, April 14 through Wednesday, April 23. The DSTT work is centered on International District/Chinatown to replace a 600-foot section of rail. That will bring significant systemwide impacts to the 1 Line as the northbound tunnel will be closed for the construction activities, forcing single-tracking throughout the DSTT.
Headways through the DSTT will be reduced to every 25 to 30 minutes throughout the service days. Outside of the DSTT, separate train service will run about every 12 minutes between Westlake and Lynnwood City Center and between Stadium and Angle Lake. Travel through the DSTT will require two transfers: one at Stadium and one at Westlake. In essence, riders will be riding a shuttle train between Stadium and Westlake. So, for a rider wanting to travel from Lynnwood City Center to the airport, a 1 Line trip would involve three trains: Lynnwood City Center to Westlake, Westlake to Stadium, and Stadium to SeaTac/Airport.
More 2 Line tie-in work ahead
To support Link 2 Line tie-in work to the DSTT and mainline, Sound Transit has outlined another weekend project that could happen as soon as May. That work is designed to deliver new signal and electrical systems within the tunnel. The agency will also carry out systems integration testing, which was delayed from January.
When this set of tunnel tie-in work occurs, Sound Transit will need to fully close the DSTT and run a bus bridge service between Capitol Hill and Stadium, serving the tunnel stations along the way. Outside the bus bridge, 1 Line service will run from Capitol Hill to Lynnwood City Center and from Stadium to Angle Lake.
Sound Transit is still hoping to complete tie-in and testing work and open the 2 Line across the lake before the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Downtown Redmond 2 Line extension is scheduled to open May 10.
South Seattle pedestrian gate work this fall
Looking ahead to the fall, Sound Transit has sketched out a series of pedestrian gate installation projects for at-grade stations, such as Columbia City and SoDo, in response to pedestrian safety concerns. The work could start around September and extend through mid-2026, just before the arrival of the FIFA World Cup. That will lead to service disruptions on the 1 Line, but the degree of rider and system impacts has yet to be outlined.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.
