Sound Transit’s Federal Way 1 Line Link Extension begins light-rail service

Sound Transit’s Federal Way 1 Line Link Extension light-rail service began on Dec. 7. The nearly eight-mile 1 Line extension adds new options to travel between Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport and Federal Way and includes three new stations, as well as two new parking structures and a parking addition in Federal Way. 

Federal Way is the fifth light-rail extension in the past three years for the agency, with the others being T Line service to Hilltop, the 2 Line between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations, the Lynnwood extension into Snohomish County and the 2 Line extension to Downtown Redmond. The Crosslake Connection, spanning the 2 Line across Lake Washington into Seattle, is expected to open in 2026. 

Voters approved the Federal Way extension in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure. The project broke ground in summer 2020. 

“The debut of the Federal Way Link Extension marks yet another progress milestone for Sound Transit and the region,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “This extension brings Link that much closer to connecting all three counties of the Puget Sound region.”   

Kiewit was the design-builder for the project, Funding for the $2.5 billion project includes a $790 million federal grant agreement from the Federal Transit Administration and a $629.5 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation.  

The Federal Way extension will serve the following stations:  

• Kent Des Moines: Located just southwest of I-5 at the SR516 exit, the elevated Kent Des Moines Station serves Highline College and future affordable housing to be constructed adjacent to the stations. The station includes a parking garage, with approximately 500 new spaces as part of the project.  
• Star Lake: Located on the west side of I-5 just north of South 272nd, the Star Lake Station serves the surrounding neighborhoods and features a 1,105-stall parking garage.  
• Federal Way Downtown: Located at the Federal Way Transit Center, Sound Transit notes the elevated station serves one of the busiest transit centers in the region, with extensive connections to local and regional service. It also serves the Federal Way Performing Arts and events center and numerous local businesses. Sound Transit says additional housing is expected to be built on surplus property adjacent to the station. An addition to the garage added 341 parking spaces to the 1,224 already in use.   

In addition to the 2 Line’s Crosslake Connection, the agency says a new Pinehurst Station at Northeast 130th Street in Seattle is expected to open in 2026. It was part of the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure. 

“Our team and community partners demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming the challenges of the Great Recession and the COVID pandemic during the life of this project while still finishing hundreds of millions of dollars under budget,” said Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine. “This opening represents our ability to deliver for the residents of South King County and the region, connecting more people to opportunity via clean, frequent, reliable transit.” 

AtkinsRéalis supported construction of the expansion since 2018, providing design-build project management services, including resident engineering, design review, construction oversight, project controls, commercial management and independent quality assurance. 

"The Federal Way Link Extension is an exceptional example of the power of teamwork and smart planning to deliver community-oriented solutions," said AtkinsRéalis Project Resident Engineer and Senior Project Manager Ken Regan. "We're grateful to support Sound Transit on a project that gives people more options for their daily commute and supports our goal of building more sustainable transportation."