East Link
East Link is a planned eastern extension of the Sound Transit Link Light Rail system, spanning about 22 miles from Downtown Seattle to the city of Redmond. Funding for construction of the portion of East Link between Downtown Seattle and Overlake Transit Center was approved by voters in November 2008, while the final segment between Overlake Transit Center and Downtown Redmond was identified as a priority extension in a future expansion measure. As of mid-2009, construction of East Link was projected to begin in 2013 or 2014, with the line opening for service as far as Bellevue in 2020 and extending to Overlake in 2021.[1]
Routing
On May 14, 2009, the Sound Transit board decided on a preferred route for East Link.[1] From the International District/Chinatown Station, trains will travel on existing ramps to the Interstate 90 express lanes from the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, possibly in mixed traffic with buses. Currently, the I-90 express lanes carry vehicle traffic (both single-occupant vehicles and High-occupancy vehicles (HOV)), but will be modified to serve only trains, and an all-day HOV lane will be added to each direction of the I-90 bridge.[2] The trains will use the center roadway from Seattle through the Mount Baker Tunnel, across Lake Washington and Mercer Island to South Bellevue. Trains will turn and head north from I-90 along Bellevue Way and 112th, before cutting across to Main and I-405. In Downtown Bellevue, tracks will either be in a couplet in the street on 108th and 110th, or underground underneath 108th. The tunnel will only be built if the city of Bellevue provides the $500 million difference needed to construct the tunnel. From there, trains will head east at NE 12th street past Overlake Hospital through the Bel-Red industrial area along NE 16th street. In the Overlake neighborhood, trains will connect with State Route 520 and head north towards Downtown Redmond and Redmond Town Center.[3]
Technical challenges
When the light rail line is completed, it will be the first time that a light rail line has operated on a floating bridge. Challenges faced by Sound Transit include stray current, expansion and contraction of the bridge itself, weight of the rail infrastructure (rails, catenary, etc.), weight of the light rail vehicles, and the expansion joint on either end of the bridge.
Stations
References
External links
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| Local and Express bus |
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| Light rail |
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| Streetcar |
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| Commuter rail |
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| Bus rapid transit |
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| Ferry |
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| Monorail |
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| Other |
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Italics denote lines or services which are planned, under construction, or otherwise not operating at the present time.
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