Local

Link light rail service in downtown Seattle resumes Wednesday after fan problem

SEATTLE — Shuttle buses replaced Sound Transit’s Link light rail 1 Line on Tuesday while the Chinatown-International District, Pioneer Square and University Street stations were closed on Tuesday due to a problem with a ventilation system.

Service has since resumed.

The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel had to be closed due to a malfunction with the emergency ventilation fans at Pioneer Square Station. The service suspension started at around 5 a.m.

“The problem that we continue to troubleshoot is that there appears to be an electrical supply issue preventing the fan system from ramping up to the speed required to do its job. Without this system functioning properly, we cannot safely operate trains in the tunnel,” Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm said in the company’s blog, The Platform.

The disruption was expected to continue into Wednesday, but the problem was resolved overnight at around 1 a.m. and all trains are now running as usual Wednesday morning.

“We deeply regret that passengers traveling to or through downtown Seattle on Link light rail faced significant delays and inconveniences from this emergency shutdown,” Timm said.