It’s been a whole five years since Sound Transit last expanded our high capacity transit spine with a new Link light rail extension, but as of next Saturday, the wait will finally be coming to an end when Northgate Link opens to the public.
The 4.3 mile extension, which has been under construction since 2012, will add three new stations to the system formerly known as Central Link and now being dubbed Line 1: U District, Roosevelt, and the namesake Northgate Station.
If you’d like to take a peek inside the new stations ahead of next Saturday’s opening, we’ve put together three photo galleries showcasing each one.
Enjoy, and if you’re curious about timing, know that Northgate Link will be open for your enjoyment beginning prior to dawn’s first light on Saturday, October 2nd. Sound Transit has opted against any kind of special schedule for next weekend because that could be needlessly disruptive to riders. So if you want to be on the very first train in revenue service, you’ll need to get up really, really early!
U District
U District, short for University District, is the southernmost of the new stations. It is located on Brooklyn Avenue between NE 43rd and NE 45th Streets, across the road from the UW Tower and steps away from the shops on The Ave.
Are your taste buds as eclectic as your wardrobe? Then you, my friend, have come to the right place. Here you’ll find a plethora of indie eateries, coffee shops, pubs and bars — where you can hang out with UW students and relive your college days, minus the all-nighters and cold pizza. What’s more, if you’re in the market for super fresh produce and all things organic, check out the U District Farmers Market every Saturday.
– Sound Transit
The station has two head houses that are separated by a small tract of land that will soon be repurposed for transit-oriented development by the University of Washington. Here’s some photos from inside (and outside!) the station:
- Exterior of the U District Station’s south headhouse, showing the station name from the corner of Brooklyn and 43rd (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- The ticketing level at U District Station, with vending machines and ORCA card readers (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- View going up one of the U District Station’s “transit grade” escalators, which leads to the south entrance (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Another view of the U District Station mezzanine, showing the ceiling and wall artwork, which makes the station feel bright and welcoming (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Wide-angle view of the U District station platform. Southbound trains will take riders to University of Washington / Husky Stadium and points south; northbound trains will take riders to Roosevelt and Northgate (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- These stairs connect the platform to the mezzanine level. It is possible to go from the station entrance all the way to the platform without having to set foot on an escalator. (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- The U District Station utilizes heavy duty, “transit grade” escalators that are expected to work reliably; riders also have the option of using a wide stairway with ample room for passing (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- A view of the mezzanine level after descending the escalator from the station entrance (Photo: Andrew VIlleneuve/NPI)
Roosevelt
Roosevelt, the middle of the new stations, is located at NE 65th Street and 12th Avenue NE, not far from Ravenna Park. Roosevelt High School is nearby, as are many small businesses, from Rain City Burgers to Sunlight Cafe and Teddy’s.
Named after Teddy Roosevelt, this urban-suburban neighborhood was ranked as the 10th hottest in the nation. Here, you’ll discover a diverse mix of delightful little restaurants, cozy coffee houses and friendly bars where everybody knows your name if you have it embroidered on your shirt. You’ll also find nearby Green Lake and several yoga studios where you can Namaste the day away.
– Sound Transit
Here’s some photos from inside (and outside!) the station:
- Exterior closeup view of the south headhouse at Roosevelt Station as of about five months before the station’s scheduled opening (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- The exterior of the Roosevelt Station’s north headhouse, with adjacent transit-oriented development (TOD) behind it. The TOD project is known as Cedar Crossing and is being built by Bellwether Housing and Mercy Housing Northwest. El Centro de la Raza will provide a childcare center at the new community. (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- The mezzanine level of the Roosevelt Station, showing the stairs and escalators and overhead signage (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Media, Sound Transit staff, and elected leaders ride the heavy-duty, “transit grade” escalators at the Roosevelt Station (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Station art outside the Roosevelt Station. This sculpture is called “Building Blocks,” and it was created by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt. The sculpture is “a 49-foot-tall, 21-foot-wide, and 2–1/2 ‑foot deep stepped pyramid painted in bold tones of gold, yellow, green, blue and red,” Sound Transit says in its guide to the station art. (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- View of the tracks from the Roosevelt platform. Roosevelt is an underground station with tunnels leading to the Northgate and U District Stations. (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- View of a set of stairs going down to the Roosevelt Station platform, designed for regular, nonemergency use by riders (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- One of the entrance foyers at the new Roosevelt Station, featuring the locally famous Standard marque, while it was still in the final stages of construction (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
Northgate
Northgate is the northernmost of the new stations. It is located at 1st Avenue NE and NE 103rd Street. On one side of the station is Interstate 5; on the other side is Northgate Mall and the Seattle Kraken’s new practice facility.
What was once known as one of the country’s first open-air malls, it will soon be home to the Seattle Kraken. So, along with three NHL regulation skating rinks, a training center, and Kraken HQ, you’ll find one of the busiest transit centers in the state connected to the Link light rail station. Needless to say, if you need a ride anywhere, and I mean anywhere, this is the place to be.
– Sound Transit
Here’s some photos from inside (and outside!) the station:
- Another view of the Northgate Station mezzanine, taken from one of the escalators leading to and from the platform (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Wide-angle view of the Northgate Station platform, with trains on either side of the platform. The train on the left is a Kinkisharyo consist and the one on the right is a Siemens consist. (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- View of the Northgate Station platform showing the platform to mezzanine escalators and a train consist to the right (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- The mezzanine level of the Northgate Station, which sits between the plaza level and the platform, and is connected to both by multiple sets of stairs, escalators, and elevators (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- View of the exterior of the Northgate Station. Unlike Roosevelt and U District, Northgate is an aerial station, built over the streets between the Northgate Mall and Interstate 5 (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- The stairs and escalators leading to and from the Northgate plaza level to the mezzanine (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Another view of the Northgate Station platform, showing the stairs leading down to the mezzanine level (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
- Looking south from the new Northgate Station platform, which for several years will be the new northbound terminus of Sound Transit’s Line 1, originally known as Central Link (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
If these photo galleries whetted your appetite for more, you can get some “Street View” style glimpses of the underground U District and Roosevelt stations at this website that Sound Transit built to promote the new extension.
We will be covering next weekend’s opening festivities here on The Cascadia Advocate, so check back as October gets going for our impressions and thoughts on the inauguration of service to our newest light rail stations!
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