Sound Transit Tests Cross Lake Line

- The full "Cross Lake" 2 Line connection is scheduled to open on March 28, 2026, linking Seattle and the Eastside with light rail for the first time. This will create a continuous line from Lynnwood City Center to Downtown Redmond. - When the connection opens, it will mark the first time in the world that a light rail line operates across a floating bridge. The line will run along the I-90 floating bridge, a feat of engineering that required extensive testing and retrofitting. - The final phase of testing, known as "simulated service," began on February 14, 2026. During this period, 2 Line trains run the full future schedule without passengers across the lake, allowing operators to prepare for the official opening. - The project's completion was delayed from an original 2023 target due to significant construction challenges, including the need to rebuild defective concrete rail ties on the I-90 bridge. - Two new stations will open with the connection: Judkins Park in Seattle and one on Mercer Island. This will bring the region's total light rail network length to 63 miles. - Once operational, the combined 1 Line and 2 Line service will double the train frequency through downtown Seattle, with trains arriving as often as every four minutes during peak hours between Lynnwood and the International District/Chinatown Station. - The East Link extension is part of the Sound Transit 2 (ST2) package, a measure approved by voters back in 2008. The broader Sound Transit 3 (ST3) plan, approved in 2016, will further expand the light rail system to 116 miles, reaching Everett, Tacoma, and West Seattle. - An initial segment of the 2 Line on the Eastside, running from South Bellevue to Redmond Technology Station, opened in April 2024, with a further extension to Downtown Redmond in 2025.