A project decades in the making has finally crossed the finish line.Sound Transit unveiled the Crosslake Connection to the public on Saturday morning, marking
The Cross Lake Connection completes a vision first developed in the early 2000s and approved by voters in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 package. to the public on Saturday morning, marking the completion of the Link 2 Line and connecting the Eastside with Seattle for the first time by light rail.
"It gets delayed, and you start to assume it's just never going to happen, so when it actually is, it's almost not believable," said Lowell Ricklefs, a 24-year resident of Mercer Island. The highly anticipated Opening Day began with speakers and a ribbon-cutting near the new Judkins Park Station. Elected officials like Sen. Patty Murray, Gov. Bob Ferguson, Sen. Maria Cantwell, and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay praised Sound Transit's innovative transit vision and dedication to a never-before-done project. Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine said the idea of the Crosslake Connection first formed more than 60 years ago: "We all share in this achievement," he said. The first trains left Judkins Park Station around 10 a.m. Saturday, as celebrations rang out at stations in Mercer Island, Bellevue, Redmond, Lynnwood, and more. Hundreds of riders packed the platforms and trains in Seattle and Mercer Island, eager for their first opportunity to ride across Lake Washington. Hundreds of riders pack the new Judkins Park Station in Seattle to ride across Lake Washington for the first time on March 28. "It's really exciting to see people who are excited about public transportation in the Seattle area," said Eric Pearlman. The Crosslake Connection is the first-ever light rail to operate across a floating bridge, according to Sound Transit. Commuters are carried across Interstate 90 on the Homer M. Hadley floating bridge over Lake Washington, offering views of Mount Rainier on a clear day. Completing the project took heavy-lifting after voters approved the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure in 2008. That original, greenlit plan said extensions to Bellevue and beyond were “anticipated to open in 2020," but planning disputes and ongoing construction woes pushed that date back by six years. Famously, the concrete plinths on the I-90 bridge had to be torn up and completely replaced, King County Council and Sound Transit Board Member Claudia Balducci recalled: "That cost some time." Now, the wait is finally over. People living on the Eastside have a direct line to ease the hassle of commuting to work or school, heading into Seattle to watch a Mariners game, or arriving at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with time to spare before a flight. "Sometimes we'll get dropped off at the University of Washington just so we can take the Link all the way to the airport," Jennifer Miller of Redmond explained, "and now this will be much, much easier."The completed 2 Line connects to the 1 Line at International District/Chinatown Station, and turns two separate rail spines into a single, integrated regional system for the first time. Service on the 2 Line will run from about 5 a.m. until midnight daily. Trains will run approximately every eight minutes at peak hour and between 10-15 minutes the rest of the day.Hundreds across the state are expected to join nationwide “No Kings” protests on Saturday, according to event organizers.Indivisible, which helped organize thatNancy Guthrie has been missing since the end of January, amid speculation that she was kidnapped for a potential ransom.Woman sentenced for killing Seattle rideshare driver, driving his car to hair appointmentSound Transit opens Cross Lake Connection, first light rail over I-90 bridge Sound Transit is set to open its long-awaited Cross Lake Connection on Saturday, linking the Eastside with Seattle by light rail for the first time.
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