Sound Transit marks halfway point in Lynwood Link construction
Construction of the Lynnwood Link project, which will extend Sound Transit’s Link light-rail 8.5 miles into Snohomish County, reached the 50 percent completion mark. Groundbreaking on the project began two years ago and the construction milestone puts the project on pace to open in 2024.
"In just two years, riders will be able to avoid some of the worst highway congestion in the nation and enjoy reliable trips to their destination," said Sound Transit Vice Chair and Everett City Council member Paul Roberts. "Because Sound Transit is at the national forefront of operating carbon-free transit, riding Lynnwood Link will be the environmentally friendly way to get around the region."
The Lynnwood Link extension includes four stations and is part of a large transit build out that will more than double the length of the region’s light-rail system. The Lynnwood Link is one of three light-rail projects, including Federal Way and Downtown Redmond, that Sound Transit is scheduled to open in 2024. Once service begins, Sound Transit plans for trains to operate every four to six minutes during weekday peak hours with a 20-minute connection between Lynnwood Transit Center and the University of Washington, 27-minute rides to downtown Seattle and 60-minute rides to Sea-Tac Airport.
"The opening of Lynnwood Link will be a transformative event for the city of Lynnwood," said Sound Transit Board Member and Lynnwood Mayor Nicola Smith. "Reaching the half-way mark for construction is a reminder that the start of service will be here in just a few short years."
The $3.26-billion project is being constructed by Stacy & Witbeck/Kiewit/Hoffman JV and Skanska L300 JV. Funding for the project includes up to $1.17 billion from a Full Funding Grant Agreement executed with the Federal Transit Administration through the Capital Investment Grants program.
Additionally, Sound Transit executed a Master Credit Agreement through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program with the U.S Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau that helped finance several Sound Transit projects. In August 2021, Sound Transit was approved for a new TIFIA loan package that refinanced the existing loans for five projects, including the Lynnwood Link extension, and added the Downtown Redmond Link Extension. It’s estimated the new loan package will save regional taxpayers between $500 million through lower interest costs.
"The remarkable progress we’re making is visible daily for anyone driving along I-5," said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. "Considering that most of the work to date has been done during the pandemic, this milestone is a testament to the commitment of the project’s workforce."
Among the construction progress made to date:
- All of the project’s 188 columns are complete.
- 530 of the 533 girders have been set, with the remaining girders to be set before the end of the year.
- Rail work has begun on multiple locations
- Construction of all ten 10 bridges has begun and is at 80 percent complete.
- Construction is also well underway on three new garages being built for the extension. The garages at the Shoreline South/148th and Shoreline North/185th stations, will each have approximately 500 parking spaces.
Source: Sound Transit
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
