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Seattle transportation: Pinehurst light rail station opens
Seattle's new light rail station in Pinehurst officially opened on Wednesday, offering people in the neighborhood easy access to bypass I-5 traffic.
SEATTLE - Trains began stopping at North Seattle’s brand-new Pinehurst light rail station early Wednesday morning, filling a transit gap between the Northgate and Shoreline stops.
Located at Northeast 130th Street right off Interstate 5, the infill station – built directly onto existing Link light rail tracks – officially connects nearby residents to high-capacity rapid transit.
Accelerated timeline and project budget
By the numbers:
Voters originally approved the station addition in 2016 with an initial projected completion date of 2031. However, project delivery was accelerated by five years after funding increased to $240 million – a significant rise from an earlier $72 million starting estimate.
Sound Transit projects the new facility will serve between 2,600 and 4,200 daily riders.
Timeline:
Key estimated travel times from Pinehurst station include:
- Westlake (Downtown Seattle): 15 minutes
- Sea-Tac Airport: 53 minutes
Community reactions and station artwork
What they're saying:
Local residents expressed optimism about the new access point. Commuters from the Bitter Lake and Pinehurst neighborhoods noted that the station eliminates the need to travel out of their way to Northgate or Shoreline via buses or rideshares just to catch a train.
"Super excited about this," said James Gronquist, who lives in Bitter Lake. "This is definitely a huge boon to Seattle. Few cities have this."
"It's awesome. I love the fact that I can take the train right into work. It's super safe, it's well lit, it's reliable," said Danielle Taniguchi from Pinehurst. "I have two little kids, so, walking a block to the train station – and they get to take the train somewhere fun or to the east side – it just opens up a lot more possibilities. So, it just feels more open."
The station design features integrated public artwork across its columns, stairwells and first floor. According to a plaque installed at the venue, the artwork is intended to represent every member of the community as a symbol of an inclusive design process. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson spoke at the opening events highlighting the transit expansion's impact on local communities.
Access restrictions for drivers
The other side:
While the station offers new regional connections for transit riders and walkers, drivers looking for a park-and-ride situation may be disappointed.
The Pinehurst station does not feature a commuter parking lot, only a few 15-minute spots.
Passengers planning to board at the new facility will need to be dropped off, walk or use the bus.
The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Sam Campbell.
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