Link Light Rail tracks sinking near stadiums, disruptions expected

Sound Transit is suspending Link Light Rail service from SODO station to Capitol Hill station for two weeks because the ground that the tracks are on is sinking.

A section of light rail track is sinking at Royal Brougham Way, leading to a big disruption starting next weekend, August 12.

The track at Royal Brougham Way needs to be reconstructed because soil conditions are causing the track alignment to sink, and create a buildup of puddles in the depression.

Sound Transit Spokesperson John Gallagher said that the repairs are urgent and due to the wet soil, the repairs need to be done during this warm dry weather that Seattle is having now.

“The tracks at Royal Brougham are sinking. The ground underneath them is shifting, and they are literally sinking,” Gallagher said. “There’s like a slow movement order in place there and when it rains there’s some ponding. It’s an issue that really needs to be taken care of, and it can always be done in nice, dry, sunny weather, unfortunately.”

The repair work means busses will need to shuttle passengers between the Capitol Hill and SODO stations next weekend. The Seattle Mariners will be in town all weekend, which may cause increased disruptions. Bus shuttles will run between the stations every 10 minutes. Trains will run every 15 minutes between Northgate and Capitol Hill stations and between SODO and Angle Lake stations.

Because of this shuttle transfer, passengers should expect their trips to take a little extra time.

“You should count on an additional half hour. Headways are going to go from eight minutes to 15 minutes. If you’re traveling through Pioneer Square, you’re gonna have to add up to 12 minutes for a transfer,” Gallagher said.

Disruptions will continue through the following week when the trains will share one track through downtown Seattle. Trains will be running on both platforms at Pioneer Square Station, where passengers traveling in either direction will be required to transfer to the other side of the platform to continue their ride.

S Royal Brougham Way will also be closed to vehicle traffic between 4th and 6th Avenue from the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 9, before reopening to traffic the morning of the Aug. 23.

A second light rail construction project will follow shortly after as crews replace cracked or broken tiles at Othello and Rainier Beach stations. Sound Transit said that these tiles are creating a safety hazard for passengers.

From August 21 to September 3, the northbound track at both stations will be closed. From September 4 to September 17, the southbound platforms at the stations will be closed.

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