The action moves the Downtown Redmond Link Extension project closer to the start of construction in 2019 and service beginning in 2024.
Overall, 23 million riders hopped aboard Sound Transit trains and buses, a 2.95 systemwide increase from second quarter of last year.
Link light rail drove the increase, growing 14.5% as more riders used the University Link stations at Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium for a top choice to get around.
Ridership growth particularly picked up late in the year. Average weekday ridership during the fourth quarter increased 27.9% over the same period in 2015, with light rail weekday ridership growing 83.8%.
Following the 2016 openings of the University Link and Angle Lake light rail extensions, Link ridership jumped 69.3%, while Sounder commuter service increased by 5.7% and ST Express grew 2.7%.
When the Northgate Link Extension opens in 2021, the UW campus will be served by two Sound Transit light rail stations with trains running north to Northgate and south to SeaTac airport.
The city had planned on the link to generate significant revenue as the centerpiece to its $200-million ARTIC transportation hub that is currently under construction.
Supports transit system's goal of recovering 52 percent of annual operational costs by 2017.
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