November 25, 2024

Light rail trains traverse I-90 to test final portions of East Link Extension

Photos via Sound Transit [enlarge]

Sound Transit began dead-car pull testing of its light rail trains along the I-90 East Channel Bridge between Mercer Island and Bellevue this fall.

If you've recently traveled over the Interstate-90 East Channel Bridge between Mercer Island and Bellevue, your eyes aren't tricking you — Sound Transit's light rail trains are now starting to cross this long-awaited segment of the East Link Extension.

Sound Transit says live-wire train testing began on the segment in October. Trains are also being tested on the I-90 floating bridge.

Ahead of the live-wire testing, the transit authority performed dead-car pull tests of the trains. This testing is done before trains run on their own power. Dead-car pull testing started in the fall.

While commuters can now catch a glimpse of the trains crossing the I-90 bridges, it will still be some time until they can leave their cars at home and ride the rails themselves. This final segment of the East Link Extension, which will include the Judkins Park and Mercer Island stations, isn't due to open until later next year. A more exact opening date has not been shared.

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Live-wire testing began on the I-90 floating bridge last month.

At completion, the entire East Link Extension will be 14 miles long and will stretch from Seattle's International District to Redmond, with 10 stations along the way. The 2 Line, the first portion of the extension which connects South Bellevue to Redmond Technology Station, opened in April.

The next segment to open will be the Downtown Redmond Link Extension, which comprises 2.4 miles and includes two new stations at Downtown Redmond and Marymoor Village.

Live-wire testing also started on that segment last month.

“There's still a lot of work to be done, but (these) milestones mean that we are in the final phases and getting close to opening,” Sound Transit said in a blog post.