3 Line (Sound Transit) Explained

3 Line
Type:Light rail
System:Link light rail
Status:Planned
Locale:Seattle metropolitan area, Washington, US
Start:Everett Station (north)
End: (south)
Stations:25 (9 new, 1 provisional)
Planopen:2032 (West Seattle)
2037 (Southwest Everett)
2041 (Downtown Everett)[1]
Owner:Sound Transit
Character:Underground, elevated, and surface
Tracks:2
Map State:collapsed

The 3 Line (colored magenta) is a future light rail line in the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington, to be part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. It is planned to connect Everett and Snohomish County to Downtown Seattle and West Seattle. The 3 Line would share tracks with the 2 Line from southern Everett to International District/Chinatown station along the 1 Line corridor.[2]

The line is planned to reuse existing tracks that are part of the 1 Line and its future expansions; the 1 Line will then be rerouted through a new Downtown Seattle tunnel to be built for the Ballard Link Extension.[3] The 16.3miles Everett Link Extension to the north of Lynnwood will have six stations and is scheduled to open between 2037 and 2041.[4] The 4.7adj=midNaNadj=mid West Seattle Link Extension will include three new stations southwest of SODO station and is scheduled to open in 2032.[5] The 3 Line was created as part of the Sound Transit 3 program, approved by voters in 2016, which included both projects.[6]

The West Seattle Link Extension would include a high bridge crossing the Duwamish River adjacent to the existing West Seattle Bridge. In 2024, Sound Transit and HNTB proposed a cable-stayed bridge design that would be 1690feet long and have two towers that are 374feet tall.[7] The western end of the line would be tunneled between Alaska Junction and Avalon stations, where trains would begin to use an elevated guideway.[8] The project is expected to cost $6.7 to $7.1 billion to construct and carry 26,000 daily passengers.[9] [10]

The Everett Link Extension includes a new operations and maintenance facility that is scheduled to open in 2034 at one of three sites near Paine Field and the Boeing Everett Factory.[11] The project is estimated to cost between $5.05 billion and $6.9 billion and open either as a single phase in 2037 with its funding shortfall addressed or in two phases from 2037 to 2041.[12]

Stations

Names and locations for future stations are provisional.

scope=col Stationscope=col Cityscope=col class=unsortable Locationscope=col Planned
opening[13]
scope=col Typescope=col class=unsortable Connections and notes
Everett Link Extension (Everett Station to Lynnwood City Center)
scope=row Everett StationEverett3201 Smith Avenue2041ElevatedTransfer to Sounder commuter rail, Amtrak, Swift Bus Rapid Transit
scope=row SR 526/EvergreenEverettState Route 526 at Evergreen Way2041Elevated
scope=row SW Everett Industrial CenterEverettState Route 526 at Airport Road2037Elevated
scope=row SR 99/Airport RoadEverettAirport Road at State Route 99TBDElevatedProvisional station
scope=row MarinerEverett4th Avenue West at 128th Street Southeast2037Elevated2 Line terminus
scope=row Ash WayLynnwoodInterstate 5 at 164th Street Southwest2037Elevated
scope=row West AlderwoodLynnwoodVicinity of Alderwood Mall2037Elevated
West Seattle Link Extension (SODO to Alaska Junction)
scope=row DelridgeSeattleDelridge Way Southwest near Southwest Genesse Street2032Elevated
scope=row AvalonSeattleSouthwest Avalon Way near 35th Avenue Southwest2032Retained cut[14]
scope=row Alaska JunctionSeattleSouthwest Alaska Street near California Avenue Southwest2032Underground

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Everett Link Extension: Timeline and milestones . Sound Transit . September 4, 2024.
  2. August 2024 . Sound Transit future service . Sound Transit . September 4, 2024.
  3. Web site: February 2022 . 2022 Progress Report . Sound Transit . January 2, 2023.
  4. News: Watanabe . Ben . December 8, 2021 . City of Everett outlines light rail priorities for 2037 . . January 2, 2023.
  5. Web site: August 2022 . West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions: Expanding light rail in Seattle . Sound Transit . January 2, 2023 . September 17, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170917051725/https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/project-documents/west-seattle-ballard-project-overview.pdf . dead .
  6. News: Lindblom . Mike . October 24, 2019 . Pricier light-rail tunnels into Ballard and West Seattle fall by the wayside . . January 2, 2023.
  7. News: Miller . Brian . August 19, 2024 . Behold! Sound Transit shows 'diamond pylon' span over Duwamish . . September 4, 2024.
  8. News: Newcomb . Tim . October 30, 2024 . Sound Transit Finalizes West Seattle Link Extension Alignment . . December 2, 2024.
  9. News: Lindblom . Mike . November 12, 2023 . West Seattle's light-rail path finally takes shape, at a price . The Seattle Times . September 4, 2024.
  10. News: Lindblom . Mike . September 18, 2024 . West Seattle's light rail estimate soars past $6 billion . The Seattle Times . December 2, 2024.
  11. Web site: September 2023 . Everett Link Extension fact sheet . Sound Transit . September 4, 2024.
  12. News: Lindblom . Mike . June 23, 2023 . Sound Transit charts its long light-rail journey to Everett . The Seattle Times . September 4, 2024.
  13. Web site: Everett Link Extension: Timeline and milestones . Sound Transit . September 4, 2024.
  14. Web site: Avalon Station . West Seattle Link Extension . Sound Transit . December 2, 2024.