Light rail to Northgate opens Saturday

SEATTLE — On the last day before light rail runs to Northgate, Michael Claffey was excited to trade up from the bus.

“I think it’s the greatest thing ever. I think it’s an investment for the future. I think it’s long overdue,” he said on Friday.

The trains start running at 4:51 a.m. Saturday.

With new stops at Roosevelt and the U-District, the ride between Northgate and Westlake will take 14 minutes.

“I’ll save like 20-25 minutes,” said Robert Henderson, who works downtown and now commutes by bus. “I can’t wait. Traffic is a mess in Seattle and that’s going to help a lot.”

Kristin Jackson lives near Northgate Station, and knows light rail is part of the transformation of her neighborhood.

“I think it’s going to bring a lot more people to North Seattle,” she said.

New apartments and condos have already sprung up around the station.

The old Northgate Mall is being transformed into a modern mixed-use property that’s home to the Kraken Community Iceplex.

The John Lewis Memorial Bridge, a pedestrian walkway across Interstate 5 connecting the new station with North Seattle College, also opens Saturday.

©2021 Cox Media Group