It’s been almost two months since Sound Transit launched its new Crosslake Link, connecting Seattle to the east side. The connection has proven to be a success, with the agency reporting a surge in ridership.
The light rail connection also included two new stations, Judkins Park and Mercer Island.
“Since Crosslake opened, we’re up 35-40% on a daily basis. We now regularly have more than 160,000 people riding the service,” Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine said. “That level of ridership now puts us at the top of the list in the U.S. for light rail systems.”
This bump has positioned Sound Transit at the top for light rail systems in the U.S., according to Sound Transit.
Preliminary numbers for April indicate that 155,000 people rode the light rail daily. This figure rises to 163,000 when including the Tacoma Link Line, which is not yet directly connected with the main light rail system.
Light rail use has seen even greater peaks on event days. Sound Transit broke its all-time ridership record during the USA-Australia World Cup match at Seattle Stadium.
“This past week, the day before the USA-Australia match, we had 236,000 riding, and on match day, we had our all-time record 280,000 riders on light rail,” Constantine said.
To accommodate the increased demand, particularly for large events like the World Cup, Sound Transit has enhanced its service.
“For World Cup, we have all 174 of our rail cars out on the line. And every train is at least a three-car train,” Constantine said.
Sound Transit employees have also stepped up to assist passengers during high-demand periods. Constantine said that every Sound Transit employee signed up for an ambassador shift. They wear brightly colored vests and guide people on the platforms to help them find their way.
Sound Transit is preparing for continued growth by acquiring its next series of light rail vehicles soon. This will further add to the service and increase capacity.