In 1996, King County Sound Transit opened its first light rail. Ever since, Sound Transit has worked tirelessly to expand the light rail all across greater Seattle in an effort to make swift public transport available for everyone.
There are always plans for new stations on the light rail, but the most recent one that will open will be the Federal Way Link Extension. The extensions will be open to the public on Dec. 6, including three new stations: Kent Des Moines (near Highline College), Star Lake and Federal Way Downtown. This route will feature 7.8 miles of new tracks, as well as parking at every station.
Residents on the south side of King County now have a quicker and more efficient way of getting to the Sea-Tac Airport, Federal Way and downtown Seattle. In fact, the light rail will boast times of only 15 minutes from Federal Way Downtown Station to Sea-Tac Airport and 50 minutes from Federal Way Downtown Station to Downtown Seattle.
This new opportunity could allow for less traffic in the city as more people opt to take public transport, and many cyclists and pedestrians will have the option of going further than they normally would with the light rail. Also, residents of South King County, who don’t have much access to cars, can now get to jobs elsewhere with reliable transportation.
At 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, an opening celebration will begin, and the new stations will start running at 11 a.m. It’s typically a flat fee of $3.00, but there are discounts for youth, seniors and commuters with disabilities.
Though the light rail isn’t the closest to Bellevue College, a quick drive or bus ride can take you straight to a nearby station, and that will allow access to much of the greater Seattle area. With gas prices still at an all-time high and traffic being unpredictable, it might make sense for more and more residents to use public transportation, and the light rail makes it easier than ever.
