Sound Transit celebrates Link's third year, expansion
The latest second quarter ridership numbers for 2012 show link up 10% over the second quarter in 2011. Link carried an estimated 2.19 million riders in the second quarter of 2012 compared to 1.98 mill
Sound Transit’s Link light rail turned three amid continued steady ridership growth since opening day. Link has carried an estimated 21.6 million riders since it opened July 18, 2009.
The latest second quarter ridership numbers for 2012 show link up 10% over the second quarter in 2011. Link carried an estimated 2.19 million riders in the second quarter of 2012 compared to 1.98 million in 2011.
Link currently carries about 28,000 riders each weekday.
Link light rail ridership continues to grow faster than national averages for other systems. Nationally, light rail (modern streetcars, trolleys and heritage trolleys) ridership increased 6.7% in the first quarter of 2012, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
The Central Link line is the first portion of what will be more than 50 miles of light rail serving the Central Puget Sound Region. University Link, a 3.1-mile underground extension from downtown Seattle north to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington is under construction and will open in 2016 along with an extension south of SeaTac/Airport Station to S. 200th Street.
In August Sound Transit will break ground on a 4.3-mile extension from the University of Washington to Northgate in Seattle scheduled to open in 2021.
Voters have also approved extensions to Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island and the Federal Way area scheduled to open by 2023.
More Rail
Penn Station Transformation Advances with Design Unveiling
The historic redesign will transform the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere from the tracks to the street level, creating a more efficient, cleaner, and functional experience for more than 600,000 daily commuters and millions of visitors.
Read More →
Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Advances into Major Construction Stage
New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined leadership from the MTA, elected officials, and Harlem community leaders to break ground on the major construction stage of the transformative Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project.
Read More →
The Invisible Infrastructure of Passenger Flow
What a seat reservation system on Austria’s Railjet trains reveals about the future of rider experience, and why U.S. agencies should pay attention.
Read More →
Caltrain Board Approves FY27 Budget, Endorses Efficiency Measures
The move ensures Caltrain service will continue operating as usual in the near term, but long-term financial challenges remain for the rail agency absent a new revenue source.
Read More →
Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet
The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.
Read More →
When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.
Read More →
California Selects Team for Nation’s First True High-Speed Rail Track and Systems Contract
The board action follows completion of track installation at the 150-acre southern railhead in Kern County, which will serve as the staging and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation.
Read More →
Seattle's Sound Transit Launches New Sounder Railcars into Service
Alstom manufactured all the cars under a $46.5 million contract and came into service in anticipation of summer crowds for soccer and baseball.
Read More →
Alstom Partners With Universities to Build Rail Talent Pipeline
The partnerships include a new engineering scholarship fund at Alfred State College in Western New York and collaborations with transportation centers at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University.
Read More →
Chicago's NITA Act Moves Into Next Phase as Service Improvements Begin
Rider-focused improvements will begin rolling out across the system immediately as CTA, Metra, and Pace increase service this summer in the six-county region.
Read More →