Two more stations for the 2 Line: Redmond gets ready to welcome Link light rail to Downtown and Marymoor Village
In less than a month, Sound Transit will expand the 2 Line eastward by inaugurating service to two new stations: Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond. These will be the very first stations funded by the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) ballot measure to join the system, meaning stations that were part of the ambitious system expansion voters approved in 2016.
As a lifelong resident of Redmond who has spent decades advocating for more and better mass transit in our region, I’m thrilled that light rail is coming to our community. Fast, carless trips to Overlake and downtown Bellevue are now only a few weeks away – and once the 2 Line crosses Lake Washington, hopefully late this year, a long list of other destinations will be reachable with just a train trip, including SeaTac Airport, T-Mobile Park, Lumen Field, Benaroya Hall, Pioneer Square, Seattle Central Library, Capitol Hill, Westlake Center, the University of Washington, and Northgate.
I’ve dreamed of Redmond getting passenger rail service for most of my life. When I was little, I used to look at the train tracks that went through the middle of town and wish that there were trains running on them. While those tracks never saw any commuter rail service and were eventually ripped up, we did reuse a big chunk of the right of way to bring Link light rail into downtown Redmond.
From the air, you can see that the last part of the elevated alignment before the Downtown Redmond Station is right next to the trail that is where the old railroad bed used to be.
Twenty-three years ago, I became an activist when Tim Eyman launched an initiative to defund Sound Transit. Feeling that freedom of mobility was critical to our region’s future, I resolved to do my part to ensure Eyman got the vigorous opposition he deserved. Thus was born the Permanent Defense project, which in turn inspired the formation of the Northwest Progressive Institute (NPI) the following year.
Transit for all has been a priority for NPI since its inception.
NPI campaigned for ST2 and ST3, lobbied for bills that would help Sound Transit keep its promises to voters, and fought more Tim Eyman initiatives seeking to roll back our progress. And, we’ve been chronicling Link’s build-out since it began in the early aughts. We are glad to have the company of The Urbanist’s writers nowadays when we tour Sound Transit construction sites. It’s important for people across our region to know what their tax dollars are paying for.
Watching the trains roll through Redmond as testing ramps up has been deeply satisfying. After all these decades of advocacy, light rail is coming right into the heart of my hometown! I’ll soon be able to walk over to the Downtown Redmond Station and hop on a train anytime I need to go into Bellevue. I’ll be able to leave my car in the garage and get to places like the Meydenbauer Center in about the same amount of time that it would take me to drive and park. Alternatively, I will be able to take my bicycle on board and use the train to launch bike trips that’ll take me through places that are further away.
Link to me means greater freedom of mobility and the opportunity to get where I want to be more safely. Driving is the least safe, least efficient, least environmentally friendly way to get around. With Link just around the corner from where I live and work, I will spend less time in traffic. I’ll spend less money on fuel. I’ll reclaim more time for reading or getting back to people. And I’ll get even more steps in.
I want people in other communities to enjoy this same freedom of mobility, which is why NPI and I will continue advocating for ways to speed up delivery of ST3 projects.
The state can and should be helping Sound Transit with its funding needs, and local communities should follow Redmond’s example and knock down barriers to getting shovels in the ground.
The principal reason these two stations are entering service before any other ST3-funded ones is because Redmond was ready and eager to partner with Sound Transit to build light rail.
The city already had an idea of where it wanted trains to go, thanks in part to early planning that was undertaken decades ago, when Rosemarie Ives was mayor and Nancy McCormick, Jim Robinson, and Richard Cole were on the Council. Redmond also made sure that Sound Transit wouldn’t be held up by the permitting process. As a result, Downtown Redmond and Marymoor Village Stations are coming online just 13 months after their ST2-authorized 2 Line brethren, while other ST3 projects remain mired in the development phase nine years after ST3 was on the ballot.
Light rail’s imminent arrival has accelerated Redmond’s building boom. New midrises are replacing one- and two-story buildings all over the downtown core. One such property, Eastline, is right next to Downtown Redmond Station and is now leasing; its developer targeted the high-end market. Meanwhile, the owners of Redmond Town Center, on the other side of the tracks, have proposed a Master Development Plan that calls for new buildings as tall as 12 stories to be constructed next to the main retail complex. Historically, Redmond Town Center has been proposed as a mix of commercial development and office space, but the Master Plan calls for residential development to join the mix.
Here’s a schematic of what is envisioned for the site:
Redmond’s recently adopted 2050 Comprehensive Plan authorizes an increase in housing capacity around the city’s light rail stations, allows sixplexes citywide, and scales up the city’s inclusionary zoning program, raising the affordable housing requirement on new development.
We’re throwing a party on May 10th and Urbanist readers are invited!
I hope you’ll join me and the NPI team to celebrate when Link arrives in Downtown Redmond next month. After the ribbon cutting and inaugural train ride, we will be throwing a party at our headquarters with special guests, and we’d love to see readers from The Urbanist there! Our building is adjacent to the Redmond Transit Center and is about a five-minute walk from the Downtown Redmond Station. The party will be an open house style event running from 2pm to 5pm in the afternoon, and we will have refreshments. There is no admission fee, but we invite you to make a donation when you RSVP – it will help us continue to bring you projects like our Civic Heartbeat public interest polling.
In addition to stopping by our party, here are some recommendations for places to eat and check out if you’re coming to Redmond for Opening Weekend on May 10th, or even a future weekend if you want to avoid the crowds.
Places to eat
In the vicinity of Downtown Redmond Station, you’ll find:
- El Toreador: A beloved Mexican restaurant on Leary Way. They will be closing in a few weeks, so I strongly recommend having a meal there before they finish their run.
- Spark Pizza: A widely renowned pizzeria on 164th Avenue, just footsteps away from NPI’s building. They’ve repeatedly made 50TopPizza’s list of the top fifty pizzerias in America.
- Farine Bakery & Cafe: Belgian-inspired cuisine, offering bistro fare, house-made fresh breads, pastries & desserts.
- K-Street K-BBQ: A newer presence in the Redmond restaurant scene, they’re known for playing K-Pop music while preparing their customers’ dishes.
- Ristorante Tropea: A staple of the Redmond restaurant scene since 1996, offering fine Italian dining. They’ve thankfully survived a fire and a relocation.
Local chains have a presence in the neighborhood. You’ll find a Flatstick Pub, a Matador, a Molly Moon’s, a Coastline Burgers, a Tipsy Cow, and a Due’ Cucina Italiana all within easy walking distance of Downtown Redmond Station. Mendocino Farms will be joining the party in the coming months.
We’re finally on the verge of getting a Pagliacci Pizza, too.
I also strongly recommend getting a cup of coffee or tea at Soulfood Coffeehouse. This is where the locals go, it’s a treasured gathering place. On many evenings, they have live performances.
In the vicinity of Marymoor Village Station, you’ll find:
- Blazing Bagels: Their original location. They make the best bagels east of New York – get it? Seriously, these are some of the freshest and tastiest bagels you can get anywhere.
- Pomegranate Bistro: Excellent American restaurant. This is where Redmond Drinking Liberally meets. Widely regarded and highly recommended.
- Sahara Mediterranean Kitchen: Great place to get lamb gyro, shawarma, kabab, and falafel. It’s located very close to the station.
- Towa Japanese Cuisine: A pioneering sushi restaurant that started off in Bellevue and now calls Redmond home. Just down the road from the station.
- Rocky’s Empanadas: Traditional Argentine food. Note that they’re only open on weekdays.
Places to check out
Marymoor Park. As its name suggests, Marymoor Village Station is the gateway to Marymoor Park, a crown jewel in the King County parks system. Marymoor offers tons of activities. There’s an off-leash dog area. There’s tons of trails where you can go birdwatching. There’s a field where you can fly a drone or launch a model airplane. And, of course, there’s our beloved Velodrome. That’s a very incomplete list. Note the park website has a list of upcoming concerts for possible future light rail excursions.
Trails: Explore Redmond’s growing trail network, which includes 59 miles of public trails. Many are paved. Consider going for a long walk or bike ride on the East Lake Sammamish Trail, the Sammamish River Trail, or the Redmond Central Connector. The Sammamish River Trail can also be used to access the Powerline Trail, which goes up through Education Hill and will bring you to Farrel McWhirter Park.
Community centers: Redmond has two major community centers: one next to City Hall and one near Marymoor Village. Each campus shares some amenities. The Redmond Senior & Community Center just opened last year. It has an elevated indoor walk/jog track and stretching area. There’s also a lounge and library. Sadly, the city is shutting down the Old Redmond Firehouse Teen Center, which has prompted a community outcry and a petition asking city leadership to reconsider.
Redmond Town Center: An outdoor mall with a wide array of shops and restaurants, built on the site of a former golf course. K-Street and Flatstick are located here, along with several other eateries. There’s also iPic Theaters and a fantastic independent bookstore – Brick & Mortar. It’s worth walking over to Redmond Town Center just to browse the bookstore and pick up some great reading.
Redmond Saturday Market. The market will sadly not be open on May 10th, but if you come back to Redmond on a subsequent Saturday, you’ll be able to check it out by heading up the Sammamish River Trail to the Overlake Church parking lot at 9900 Willows Road. The market will be open May 3rd through October 25th this year from 9am to 2pm.
Where to get more information about the festivities on May 10th
Sound Transit has a “Hello, Redmond!” web page where you’ll be able to find out more about community events at the new stations once details are announced.
See you in Redmond next month!
Editor’s note: The Urbanist will be hosting a booth at the festival that Move Redmond is hosting outside Downtown Redmond Station from noon to 4pm on May 10th. So come by and say hi on your way to other festivities.
Andrew Villeneuve is the founder of the Northwest Progressive Institute and its sibling, the Northwest Progressive Foundation. He serves in leadership roles in both organizations. NPI, founded in 2003, has an advocacy focus, powered by research, whereas NPF, formed in 2018, has an educational focus. Andrew has worked for over two decades to advance progressive causes as a strategist, speaker, author, and organizer. His favorite leisure activities are traveling, hiking, and piloting.
