Local

East Link light rail project hits 50 percent completion

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Construction on the East Link light rail is now about 50 percent complete, and KIRO 7 got an up-close look at the progress of the project Friday.

East Link is the $3.7 billion light rail extension that voters approved in 2008 to bring trains over the I-90 bridge to Mercer Island, Bellevue and the edge of Redmond.

When service starts in 2023, a ride from downtown Bellevue to Seattle's International District will take 20 minutes.

Click here to view a map of the project.

“When East Link opens in 2023, passengers will be able to ride almost 40 miles of fast, reliable light rail, from the Eastside to downtown Seattle and Northgate and to Sea-Tac Airport and Angle Lake,” Sound Transit said.

East Link will run 14 miles and will have 10 stations with service coming every six minutes in peak hours.

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