Sound Transit and Metrolinx light-rail openings announced

Sound Transit and Metrolinx light-rail openings in Seattle and Toronto followed one another by just a day and, as reported by Progressive Railroading, brought new route miles and stations to both urban rail networks.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Sound Transit and Metrolinx light-rail openings: Link 1 Line to Federal Way

On Dec. 6, Sound Transit began carrying passengers on the Sound Transit Link 1 Line Federal Way extension between Angle Lake and Federal Way, Washington. This Angle Lake to Federal Way light-rail extension adds nearly 8 miles to the 1 Line and introduces new stations at Kent Des Moines, Star Lake and downtown Federal Way, forming a continuous 41-mile route from Lynnwood City Center, north of Seattle, down to Federal Way.

Don’t miss…WA public transport contactless payments expand across state

The agency notes that this marks the fifth light-rail extension it has opened in the last three years, and the Federal Way segment itself was approved back in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure.

Kiewit Corp. serves as the design-builder for the Federal Way extension and broke ground on the project in the summer of 2020. According to Sound Transit officials, the $2.5 billion project is financed with the help of a $790 million federal grant and a $629.5 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The extension fits into a broader build-out of Seattle’s light-rail system, which has also been covered by Railway Supply.

Metrolinx Line 6 Finch West light-rail opening in Toronto

On Dec. 7, Metrolinx began operating its new Line 6 Finch West light-rail service in Toronto, according to Metrolinx. The 6.4-mile corridor between Humber College Station and Finch West Station includes 16 stops along the line. Construction on Line 6 started in 2019 and, as noted in a report from The Canadian Press, was originally scheduled to wrap up in 2023.

The Metrolinx Line 6 Finch West LRT project’s overall cost — covering the construction contract awarded to Mosaic Transit Group and a 30-year maintenance contract with Bombardier Transportation — was first estimated at C$2.5 billion. The same report indicates that the final cost reached C$3.7 billion, and Metrolinx has handed operation of the line over to the Toronto Transit Commission.

Taken together, these new light-rail lines in Seattle and Toronto highlight recent investment in urban transit, adding stations and route miles that broaden travel options for riders.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: