Starting the first weekend of January, construction will begin to integrate new light rail to the Eastside into the existing system, known as Connect 2020. Riders will need to prepare for service disruptions during the first three months of the year.
From Jan. 4 through Jan. 5, there will be no light-rail service through downtown Seattle. Shuttle buses will make surface stops at the closed stations between Capitol Hill and SODO. Starting Jan. 6, construction will require trains to operate less frequently for 10 weeks.
Beginning Jan. 6 and continuing through March 13, Link passengers traveling through downtown will need to make a transfer via a new center platform at Pioneer Square. For safety, bikes will not be allowed at the Pioneer Square station. Passengers with bikes must exit at University Street or International District/Chinatown.
To make it easier for bike commuters to keep their bikes off the system, Sound Transit is installing new on-demand BikeLink lockers at the Rainier Beach, SODO and University of Washington stations. Cards to access the lockers are available at bikelink.org.
Two additional weekend light rail closures are planned for Feb. 8–9 and March 14–15.
When Connect 2020 construction is complete, the existing tunnel will be connected to East Link in preparation for 2023 when light rail expands to 10 new East King County stations. Connect 2020 is another phase of the Seattle Squeeze. Sound Transit and partner agencies are working together closely during this period to keep people moving. Sound Transit's commitment over the next five years is to complete light-rail extensions that will more than double the reach of current service, expanding congestion-free commuting options for thousands of new riders each day.
