Saturday, July 18, 2009

New ChooChoo

I've only been to Seattle once, very briefly, and so I have no sense of this project. But, enjoy the ride!

Thirteen year after voters approved the taxes to build it, Sound Transit's Central Link light rail opens for service Saturday. Trains will run every 71/2 minutes from stations along the 14-mile line between Westlake Center in Seattle and the massive, glass-encased station in Tukwila at South 154th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard.

Passengers can ride for free during the inaugural weekend. Sound Transit officials had no predictions on opening day ridership, but are ready for up to 100,000. Their best reference is Phoenix, Ariz., where the city's new Metro light rail logged 90,000 riders when it opened last December, with some waiting in lines for two to three hours.