Seattle’s Sound Transit and its partners celebrated the start of construction of the 3.4-mile Downtown Redmond Link Extension, which will extend the Blue Line from Redmond Technology Station into southeast Redmond to its terminus in downtown Redmond.

Upon opening in 2024 riders will enjoy fast, frequent, and reliable service between the Eastside and Seattle, the University of Washington, Sea-Tac Airport, and south Snohomish County, according to the agency. The extension includes two new stations at SE Redmond and Downtown Redmond. The segment’s opening will follow the 2023 opening of light rail between Downtown Seattle and Redmond’s Overlake area.

The project is the result of collaboration between the City of Redmond, the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, King County Metro Transit, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

“Today’s groundbreaking follows years of planning and partnership to complete the regional transit network to Downtown Redmond,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. “Within five years our Link extensions to Redmond, Lynnwood and Federal Way, and Stride BRT service on I-405 and SR-522 will enable many thousands more riders to escape crippling traffic.”

Stacy & Witbeck/Kuney, a Joint Venture is completing the final design and construction on the extension, which is scheduled to open in 2024. Sound Transit predicts that by 2026 between 43,000 and 52,000 daily riders will use light rail to travel to and from Eastside destinations.