Sound Transit tests trains on Northgate Link light rail ahead of September opening KING 5 Staff
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People in north Seattle are a step closer to being able to hop on the Link light rail and go downtown or to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Sound Transit announced it started testing trains for the first time Monday on the new elevated light rail tracks in Northgate. The trains are testing the overhead electrical power system that runs through the Northgate line.
Passenger service to and from Northgate is expected to open in September.
The testing will continue for several months, mostly during morning hours, according to Sound Transit. While most of the line is underground, drivers on I-5 will likely notice the trains at Northgate.
Buying a home? How to choose the right Seattle neighborhood
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Jan. 13, 2021
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SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 4: The sun sets on the Space Needle and downtown skyline as viewed from Queen Anne Hill on November 4, 2015, in Seattle, Washington. Seattle, located in King County, is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, and is experiencing an economic boom as a result of its European and Asian global business connections. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)George Rose/Getty Images
As with most developed cities, Seattle is density challenged. That is, more people want to live here than there are homes available. The result of this manifests itself in higher than national average home prices.
1 month ago
Your assertion that aerial gondola systems don’t “offer sufficient capacity or expandability to meet West Seattle’s needs long-term” is inaccurate. At 4500 passengers per hour, SkyLink will offer more than twice as much capacity as Sound Transit predicts West Seattle will need by 2040. Also, aerial systems are easily expandable, as they offer different system capacities for different throughput requirements. The SkyLink 3S system could be expanded from the Junction area station to link with the Admiral business district and the WS Water Taxi. And/or an expansion could run from the Delridge node to mid-Delridge or Westwood, and/or over the hill from mid-Delridge to Morgan Junction, or from the Alaska Junction area to Morgan Junction. All at 80%-90% less cost than extending light rail. Increased passenger requirements could be carried by BRT.