News across King County

A First Look at the New Amtrak Cascades Fleet
The new Airo trains, which will be running on every trip on Amtrak Cascades by next spring, bring a bevy of new passenger features from upgraded seats to overhauled restrooms. The first trips are scheduled to start rolling out of King Street Station on September 30.

Sunday Video: Seattle's Link Is Almost Too Good to Be Real
Ray Delahanty of CityNerd did a video on the 2 Line, now that the light rail corridor spans Lake Washington connecting Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond. Watch to see how the Eastside stations rank and hear some tidbits from our recent Town Hall Seattle event with Ray.
Southbound I-5 overnight lane reductions, ramp closures near Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle, Sept. 28 and 29
People traveling overnight on Monday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Sept. 29, should plan for a two-lane reduction on southbound Interstate 5 across the Ship Canal Bridge for roadway maintenance, the […]

Pinehurst: A Light Rail Station Built by Community
Community organizer Renee Staton recounts how Pinehurst Station went from a distant dream to reality delivered ahead of schedule due to more than a decade of advocacy.
Sounder trains available for Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels Sept. 27
Sound Transit’s Sounder train is running to this Sunday’s Seattle Mariners baseball game vs. the Los Angeles Angels, with first pitch at 12:10 p.m. Special Sounder service is in addition […]
Dow Constantine Secures Three-Year Extension as Sound Transit CEO
Sound Transit is set to have Dow Constantine at the helm into 2030s after the agency approved a three-year contract extension with two additional one-year options on Thursday.

Op-Ed: The $10 Billion Question Sound Transit Has Never Asked
Elevating the next light rail line through Downtown Seattle could save $10 billion, more than enough to close Sound Transit’s systemwide budget hole and get rail to Ballard much sooner. There’s just one problem: The agency has never officially studied the idea. It’s high time.

King County Council Debates Future of its Transportation Funding District
After a new 0.1% sales tax for county roads was approved in June, County Executive Girmay Zahilay has proposed to fold the independent transportation benefit district fully into county government. But questions remain about whether the county council would be trading away…

Reminder: New Pinehurst light rail station to open at 130th St. Sept. 30
Sound Transit will open the Pinehurst Station in North Seattle on Wednesday, Sept. 30, connecting communities near Northeast 130th Street to 1 and 2 Line light rail service. Trains will […]

What happened to the trees on Bothell Everett Highway? Construction, but don’t worry; they’ll be replanted
BOTHELL—Anyone who’s driven down Bothell Everett Highway recently has probably noticed all the missing mature trees right outside the Canyon Park Business District. The tree removal is part of a massive 405 Improvement Project that’s been under construction since late 2023. The…

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Amtrak's 300-passenger Airo trains debut Sept. 30 on Cascades route, adding seats but not speed or frequency.

A new era for Amtrak Cascades: Airo Fleet Debuts on Sept. 30
PACIFIC NORTHWEST – Beginning Sept. 30, customers can experience the new Airo trainsets on the Amtrak Cascades as Amtrak introduces its newest fleet into passenger service. Two trainsets, operating four daily trips, will begin carrying customers on launch day, marking the first…