A sneak peek at Redmond Link
Outside Marymoor Village Station, looking northYesterday, Sound Transit invited members of the media to preview the two-station Redmond Link extension, which is on track for a grand opening this Saturday, May 10th. Coming online will be Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond stations, which will be the first of the ST3 stations to open.
On hand at the preview ride was Dow Constantine, Sound Transit's new CEO, Redmond mayor Angela Birney, and King County councilmember Claudia Balducci. Birney, in particular, touted Redmond's embracing of Link, pointing to the slate of new transit-oriented development projects that have sprouted up around the station in Downtown Redmond.
On the platform at Downtown Redmond Station, looking southwestThe downtown station placement is smack in the middle of Redmond's downtown core, wedged between Redmond Town Center to the south and the walkable Cleveland Street main drag to the north. The current baseline height limit around the station is only 60 feet, which can be doubled under the city's incentive program. However, proposed zoning changes will include a TOD focus area, that may stretch the height limit to 144 feet.
Marymoor Village, on the other hand, serves a unique station area that is bounded by 520 to the north, Marymoor Park to the west, and a light industrial and commercial area to the south and east, which has yet to be built up. As the crow flies, the two stations are remarkably close to each other, but because of 520, the guideway does a fun curve underneath the Marymoor Village garage and the freeway on its way to the downtown station.
Light industrial" is a charitable description of the existing land use south of Marymoor Village
The curve underneath SR-520You can view the entire photo album of the preview ride here.
Redmond Link will be the third in a series of Link extension openings all to take place in the span of just over a year, following the 2-Line opening last April and Lynnwood Link last August. The incremental milestones serve to continually stir public excitement, but the big question of when the full cross-lake connection will be complete remains unresolved.
Luke Lamon, Sound Transit's Executive Director of Communications, Marketing & Engagement, indicated that testing across the remaining East Link span may begin as early as late May or early June, which first involves a dead car tow prior to electrified testing. According to Lamon, a much clearer picture of the crossing's opening will emerge by the end of summer.
Councilmember Balducci, however, expressed more uncertainty around a 2025 opening, indicating two redlines to govern the start of service: not interfering with Federal Way Link - which is still slated for a Spring 2026 start - and opening prior the World Cup next summer. According to Balducci, Sound Transit would need to space out the Federal Way and I-90 openings due to resourcing constraints, but both are racing against the clock.