Seattle’s new Pinehurst light rail station opened on Wednesday, giving residents in north Seattle direct access to Sound Transit’s Link network and closing the gap between Northgate and Shoreline.
The station, beside Interstate 5 at Northeast 130th Street, is the first infill station built on an existing light rail line in Sound Transit’s history. Trains on the 1 and 2 Lines are expected to arrive every four to five minutes. ([soundtransit.org](https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/pinehurst-station-will-open-september-30))
The $240 million project was approved by voters in 2016 and was originally scheduled to open in 2031. Construction and funding changes brought the opening forward by five years, with the station expected to attract about 2,600 to 4,200 daily boardings.
Sound Transit estimates that journeys from Pinehurst to Westlake in downtown Seattle will take about 15 minutes, while Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will be roughly 53 minutes away.
Pinehurst light rail station opens without a park-and-ride
The station is intended primarily for local residents, pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers rather than commuters arriving by car. It has no dedicated parking lot or garage, although a small number of short-term spaces are available for pick-ups and drop-offs.
Passengers can reach the station by walking, cycling, being dropped off or using King County Metro services. The new Route 77 links Pinehurst with Bitter Lake, Roosevelt Station, the University District and Seattle Children’s Hospital, while improvements around Northeast 130th Street include protected cycle lanes, upgraded pavements and new bus stops. ([soundtransit.org](https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/join-sound-transit-to-celebrate-opening-pinehurst-station))
Residents from the Pinehurst and Bitter Lake neighbourhoods said the station would spare them the need to take a bus or rideshare to Northgate or Shoreline before boarding a train.
“Super excited about this,” James Gronquist, who lives in Bitter Lake, told local television station Fox 13. “This is definitely a huge boon to Seattle. Few cities have this.”
Danielle Taniguchi, from Pinehurst, said the station would make commuting easier for her family.
“I love the fact that I can take the train right into work,” she said. “It’s super safe, it’s well lit, it’s reliable.”
The station includes public artwork across its columns, stairwells and first-floor areas. A plaque at the site says the work is intended to reflect the wider community and the inclusive process used in designing the facility.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson attended the opening events, which marked the latest expansion of the city’s regional rail network.
