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