New ORCA features next year: Open Payments and 3-Day PugetPass

Seattle Transit Blog 12/22 11:00P Nathan Dickey

ORCA cards came to Google Wallet in 2024, but there is no update on when the cards will come to Apple Wallet. Image courtesy of ORCA. More fare payment options are coming to ORCA in 2026, both...

The Fremont Bridge Should be Car-free

Seattle Transit Blog 12/21 11:00P Michael Smith

The Fremont Bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge that connects Fremont and Queen Anne. Opened in 1917, the bridge served as the sole link across the Fremont Cut for 15 years. When the George...

Trains Per Hour in the Downtown Tunnel

Seattle Transit Blog 12/20 8:46P Mike Orr

How many trains per hour can fit into one downtown tunnel, both currently and with tunnel upgrades? Sound Transit s current ceiling is 20 trains per hour, or one every 3 minutes. With capital upgrades this could be increased to 30-45 trains per...

Light rail work Jan-Feb 2026

Seattle Transit Blog 12/19 11:00P Nathan Dickey

Transit ridership in the Seattle area typically reaches its seasonal low in early months of the year as tourists avoid the Big Dark and locals hunker down after the holidays. Sound Transit often uses...

Angela Brady is Wilson’s Pick for Interim SDOT Director

Seattle Transit Blog 12/17 11:00P Michael Smith

Yesterday, Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced Angela Brady will be the next Interim Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). Since 2022, Brady has served as Director of Seattle s...

Midweek Roundup: Unfinished Metropolis

Seattle Transit Blog 12/16 11:00P Nathan Dickey

Reminder: Link service in Downtown will close early on Friday. Discussion about the Ballard Link Extension continues on yesterday s article . Op-Ed: It’s Time to Imagine a Safer, More Connected Rainier Avenue (The Urbanist) Op-Ed: Seattle...

No New Tunnel Downtown? Sound Transit Explores Ballard Link Alternatives

Seattle Transit Blog 12/15 1:22A Wesley Lin

Earlier this year, Sound Transit revealed updated cost estimates for its major ST3 projects  totalling $14 to $20 billion (in 2025 dollars) more  than its current long-range financial plan can afford....

Sunday Movie: Muni Metro

Seattle Transit Blog 12/13 11:00P Mike Orr

History of San Francisco s Muni Metro. (Classy Whale) This is an open thread.

Friday Roundtable: Incorrect Signs

Seattle Transit Blog 12/11 11:00P Michael Smith

Following the recent opening of the Federal Way Link Extension, confusion quickly set in over which 1 Line trains travel to Seattle. Once the 2 Line is connected across Lake Washington, all three Link...

Sound Transit considers fare gate pilot

Seattle Transit Blog 12/10 11:00P Nathan Dickey

Fare gates with ORCA card readers at the pedestrian boarding areas at the Seattle Ferry Terminal. Washington State Ferries and the Seattle Center Monorail are the only ORCA-supported agencies which...

Midweek Roundup: Streetcar Swap

Seattle Transit Blog 12/9 11:00P Nathan Dickey

Reminder : Link service through Downtown will be disrupted a few more times before the end of the year, with extended overnight closures planned for the nights of Dec. 12-13, 20-21, and 27-28. Local News & Commentary: Tips for traveling with King...

Better Buses in Seattle

Seattle Transit Blog 12/7 11:00P Ross Bleakney

The recent election of the former head the Seattle Transit Riders Union Katie Wilson to be Seattle s mayor occurred less than a month after Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck announced her Better Bus Lanes Campaign . In the spirit of that campaign...

Weekend Open Thread: Federal Way’s Big Day

Seattle Transit Blog 12/6 1:43A Mike Orr

We ll all be at the Federal Way Link opening today. Try out the new stations . Tell us your experiences below. There will be no Sunday Movie this week. We re planning a retrospective article after the event, but its timing will depend on what...

Federal Way Link Extension: New Stations

Seattle Transit Blog 12/4 11:00P Michael Smith

On December 6, Sound Transit will open the Federal Way Link Extension (FWLE). This extension will add three new stations along eight miles of new track south of Angle Lake station. The stations are...

Federal Way Link Extension: Sneak Peek

Seattle Transit Blog 12/3 11:00P Michael Smith

On Tuesday, Sound Transit invited members of the media to preview the Federal Way Link Extension (FWLE) that opens on Saturday. This extension will add three new stations to the 1 Line south of Angle...